


Branded

by sampsonknight



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Horror, Literature, Nightmares, Suspense, fan fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2018-11-15 11:24:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 47,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11229945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sampsonknight/pseuds/sampsonknight
Summary: Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...Disclaimer: TMNT  isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...Rate: T(TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)





	1. Chapter 1

**  
** ****

* * *

He sat across from her, watching her delicate hands move left to right and back again. Her fingers clicked away on the computer's keyboard with such ease and grace.

April engulf with her task at hand, worked on a new program that she had designed for one of Donnie's new machines.

Normally he would do it himself, however, he admired her skills and was more than happy to have her helping hand. This lifted one less task on his part to worry about, and give him the opportunity to focus on the design, functionality and building of the machine in question.

There was something he noticed when she was this focus, it was her eyes.

Only in moments like this there was a spark in her, and those green eyes became brighten in a new light.

With such a sight, he was hypnotized by how vigorous they were, and truth, he couldn't help but stare at her while pretending he was cleaning some gears as he did so.

She was beautiful, smart and driven. He would guiltily admit he admired her, however, she was human and more than that, family. His best friend and someone he shouldn't consider such thoughts on.

As he drifted into deeper thoughts, he found himself behind her suddenly, unable to comprehend why he did that or when, he froze.

_(What am I doing?)_

“Donnie?” April curiously tilted her head up at him.

Choking, he stared at her frozen in his fear. What was he to say? By now with awkward silence and how he must look odd standing stiffed as a board, surely, the idea must have crossed her mind how creepy of him being behind her like this.

Seeing that her eyes now meet his, he jumped into action to paint a more innocent image in her mind, “April thanks for helping me out like this.”

Placing both his hands on her shoulders, giving a gentle squeeze, he let out a deep sigh which expressed his worry, before she could say a word or question his actions. “As I thought April, you're stressing yourself out to the point you have knots yet again.”

He slowly massaged, as she rolled her eyes at him, “I'm not that stressed,” she admitted not taking any mind or showing any signs of concerns over his demeanour. She only took it as him being concerned over her health. This wasn't new and she too does the same with him in turn at times.

Rolling his thumbs and working on the knot that was there, he had to admit he was happy there was one and he didn't come across as some creep. As he moved his hand, he was startled by her letting out a small moan.  Unfortunately, that wasn't what truly startled him, it was that how his body grew warm by the deep sound.

_(This is to relax her not to... No, I can't think like that... not like that...)_

“April,” Donnie strained out, as he desperately tried not to let the high pitch of his voice caused by his small arousal that was forming to over power his voice. Finding it unbearable to control, he resorted to force it to simmer down by changing the subject matter. “How far have you gotten in the programming?”

April let out another moan and bounced her left shoulder, hinting at him. “Donnie down a bit more please.” she mumbled as he did so, then she finally answered his question  while he worked on that spot, “Well, I got the main functions programmed, but I think it's going to take at least a couple more days to have them done and ready for testing. Now the testing stage will very, depending on your machine, but I think I included everything we need.”

Donnie nodded pressing the palm of his hand in the middle of her back, moving it up as her body suddenly shivered in delight.

He could see the corner of her lips, pressing in and holding back a moan, as she started to blush.

Feeling a rising heat from his groin, his eyes widen fearfully when an unexpected small chirp escaped him.

Horrified, he stopped what he was doing, feeling a rush of panic coarse through his body as he took flight and shuffled away from her quickly.

April unable to feel his hands on her shoulder, she snapped out of her bliss looking at him with alarm. It wasn't that she noticed his arousal for he hid it well and was happy being a turtle at the moment for that reason, it was the fact he stopped and made that churr.

“Donnie?” she asked nervously, “Did I make you feel uncomfortable? And what was that noise you made?”

Chuckling nervously, Donnie scratched his head, “Oh no, you didn't make me feel uncomfortable April. I don't mind giving you massages. You know very well I don't like seeing you tensed or stressed... It's just.. I'm just a bit embarrassed of... the,” Donnie bit his lip.

_(I can't tell her what the sound was or what it means, that would make her uneasy and get the wrong impression. I didn't mean to be.. I don't want to be... She is my best friend...)_

Thinking of another explanation, one that would fit, a light bulb turned on as he quickly explained, “I hiccuped.”

“Hiccuped?” April question awkwardly, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, a hiccup with me trying to breathe at the same time...”

With the explanation hanging above their heads a silence arose between them, then suddenly April started to laugh with a rain of tears, “Donnie that is the weirdest sounding hiccup I have ever heard.”

Chuckling slightly and not letting her see the sigh of relief he let escape, he smiled at her, “Yes, I agree. That is the reason why I stopped.”

“Oh...” April said, letting her laughter die down, “Sorry I shouldn't have laughed. You seemed very embarrassed over it and I made fun of it.”

_(She bought it, but now I have upset her in another way.)_

“No no no, April, it's okay, really,” Donnie waved his hands before him as he moved back behind her to continue her massage.

At the current moment his hormones were finally at bay and he wanted to prove to himself what he felt a while ago was just some random male infliction and wasn't his true feelings.

The thought of her other than a friend was terrifying to him and he felt disgusted with himself if they were real.

“What I did was funny, and no reason to apologize April,” Donnie said smoothly continuing to work out the knots.

“Okay Donnie... ooooh... there, there, Donnie!” April moaned, leaning forward so he could get her lower back. He chuckled more finding himself calm this time around and not some horny teenager.

* * *

He had his hand under his chin for support as his eyes fluttered against the urge of closing, even when he let out the yawns.

Donnie's eyes were heavy and he could feel the sleep creeping in ever slowly, as they swipe to the left then to the right of his computer screen.

The letters blurred together and he had to resort to blinking repetitively, to focus on each syllable that his brain was done trying to comprehend at the moment. How many hours was he been at this?

“Why don't you head to bed Donnie?” April's voice suddenly came out of nowhere, startling the ninja, who swore she left hours ago. Didn't she?

With a jump that made it evident she did scare him, he flashed his head up in surprise, not over the fact she was there this time of night, but instead on what she was wearing.

_(What the shell?)_

The oddity of her clothing choice dumbfounded him, as he blinked at the white flowing dress that came to her knees showing off her smooth legs.

For all the years he had known April, only on two occasions had he had witnessed her wearing a dress, yet never this revealing, even her cleavage was on display showing the roundness of her breasts.

She has never been the type to showcase her body, her style was always casual as memory served him.

She either worn shorts that were never too high or pants with a nice simple v neck shirt. To his knowledge she wasn't one to worry about looks or dressing up fancy of the sorts. Even before, she expressed her annoyance and dislike for dresses in particular, so why was she in one now?

His eyes trailing away from the cleavage and quickly towards her face to see what she was up to, he was beyond baffled noticing she was wearing makeup on top of everything else. Was she feeling okay?

“April?” Donnie choked out with a whimper, looking around carefully to spot the hidden camera. By chance had his little trickster brother somehow talked their friend and convince her to take part in a prank?

Though when the idea crossed his mind, he felt doubtful, there was just no way April would agree to such a prank no matter how much Mikey begged.

This wasn't her style and she wouldn't go this far for a laugh, not in a million years.

“Yes Donnie?” April purred, gazing at him with her bright, full of life green orbs, that sent disturbing shivers down his spine.

Nervously, he sat up, taking in his lab, as he felt off by this scenario.

The vibe he was gathering from her was also present in the room, something just didn't fit, as if nothing seemed to be correct.

He would have boil his gut feelings to have been caused by the oddity of this situation with her, but there was an overwhelming sensation that other factors were at play.

Very deep down to the core of his soul, he knew it there was more to meets the eye, and believed it wasn't his imagination either.

Clearing his throat, he took a breath, “Why are you here this time of night?” he asked and then pointed to the hanging clock that showed it was two minutes to three am.

The female staring at the clock slowly shrugged, turning back to him with a sickening sweet smile on her lips, “I wanted to see you. Why are you asking? Don't you enjoy my company?” On her question she pouted with sad eyes, making him feel a bit guilty for asking her the obvious.

“No no no,” Donnie quickly jumped in, shaking his hands in front of him, “It's not that, I do enjoy your company it's... just...”

“Just what?” April asked all innocently, moving forward.

The overwhelming feeling of dread washed over him as his eyes nervously looked about then drop back to her, mainly at her cleavage, as he couldn't help from taking a gulp, “It's just your not the type of person that wears dresses or...” He paused watching her eyebrow raise in question. He took a subtle breath before he continued, in order to not to sound so rude, “Coming over such odd ours in the night.”

“So you're saying I shouldn't dress up? Or come over at night, only in the day?” she chuckled.

“That's not what I'm getting at,” Donnie frantically said. His mind wildly wandered and he couldn't figure out how to phrase this without making it sound condescending, or more confusing than he was at the moment.

Before he could try again to his surprise, she was in front of him smiling up at him. When he first met her years ago, she was taller than he was. However, after a growth spurt a year after, he was now the taller one, looming above her and she had to look up at him to see his face.

April pressed one finger on his plastron while she mused at his reaction, his cheeks turn flush red and the heat from them made him shiver.

“So do you want me to leave?” April asked innocently at first. Then that changed quickly when she started to walk her fingers up his plastron, giving a seductive glare that challenged him to proceed whatever this was.

Shaking his head, he gently grabbed her hands to make her stop. “April this isn't right, what are you doing?”

“Isn't it obvious what I'm doing Donnie? I know you might not have much experience, even so, I would think even you would see what is going on here,” April licked her lips and then smiled at him with those hungry eyes of hers.

Shuddering more, Donnie took a few step back, letting go of her hands, “April are you feeling well?”

Laughing, she held her sides tilting her head at him, “Why would you ask such a silly question Donnie? I thought you like me?”

“I... I do, but not in this way,” Donnie said flabbergasted.

_(She is hitting on me... why? This doesn't make any sense.)_

“Really?” April asked, placing her finger on her ruby lips, “If that was so,” she twisted her face in confusion, “why were you all hot and bothered when you were giving me a massage earlier?”

_(Oh shell she did noticed!)_

His heart jumping into his throat he couldn't breathe, he was hoping she never notice and he would just push the incident to the side as some nightmare.

Now this was the nightmare, did she took it he was interested in her? Is that why she was hitting on him?

“April... I...” Donnie mumbled. For once he was lost for words, that would clear up this little misunderstanding without hurting her.

“Donnie, why are you being so shy? We have known each other for years and we are so close. You can't tell me that was the only time you wonder the what if I just kiss her, or ask her out? Right?” April took a step towards him.

His eyes paralyzed on her, his body was unresponsive, even his voice fled the scene, he was like a deer in the headlights and he couldn't escape.

April took another step forward, it was less than a matter of seconds that she was before him once again. Only this time she leaned into him, tilting his head down to hers, with mere inches away from her lips.

“Donnie, I know you find me attractive, I am a woman after all. One that is available, one that accepts you. Why fight this? Deep down you know part of you wants me so why not indulge?” she softly explained, leaning up, now with her lips lightly pressed against his as she continued, “Just give in.. and take me.” April took a hold of his one hand and making him hold her back, as her free hand stroked his face.

_(This doesn't feel right...I... I can't do this... Can I?)_

Confusion clouding his mind, then suddenly in the corner of his eye, he could see what was off, the feeling he was experiencing since the beginning.

He had a whiteboard across the room and on it was proof this wasn't right after all.

_(Didn't that whiteboard had a series of numbers and equations? But, now it says take her?)_

“This is a dream!” Donnie gasped loudly, finally coming to that realization, and feeling relieved that this wasn't April after all.

As he announced his findings, the dream April responded with a chuckle in amusement, “And what if it is?”

“Then this shouldn't be happening,” Donnie removed his hand, “I don't want this.” he said seriously.

He attempted to move away from her, however, she had other plans as her once seduction actions became violent and forceful.

Not permitting him the permission to shun her away, she slammed him backwards into a shelf as it shook and rattle from his shell's impact.

He became stunned, surprised by the raw power she possessed. He found himself staring into now tainted malicious eyes, that held no sex appeal only a disgusting hunger that would devour him.

Her aura even changed and he became scared inside, helpless even, and he swore if she wanted, she would rape him if he didn't resist her.

“Donnie this is a dream, why are you so persistent to deny what you want from me?! I'm everything you wanted! Yet you mumble and shutter from me, take me! Embrace me! Give yourself to me!” she demanded viciously.

“NO!” Donnie forcefully shook his head, feeling her hold on him tightening, for denying her yet again.

His heart pounding he could feel one of  her hands on his thigh and exploring that area, as he wanted to scream and run.

_(Please stop touching me... stop... stop... **stop!** )_

“I don't want this!” he was finally able to get out, “Regardless this is a dream or not, this isn't right and I refuse to do this, or whatever you want me to do!” Donnie growled trying to pry her off him with all his strength, he didn't want her to touch him anymore!

Her strength, proving once again remarkably overpowering his own, he found the task of getting her to let him go becoming an impossible feat.

April narrowed her eyes in her determination to make him yield to her, she resorted into pressing forward and making their lips touch, locking them into a kiss.

_(No... no... Please stop! I don't want this... I don't want this!)_

He felt ill and disgusted on her taste and that aroma she gave off.

The horrors of what things she would do to him against his will, planted the chilling ideas into his head.

However, how disturbing this was, he somehow managed to get one of his hands between his plastron and her chest.

To his luck she took no notice of this action he was able to do, too engulfed to suck his face, allowing him to fight back.

He took the opportunity gratefully and with all his might he pushed forward, actually able to separate them as she stumbled backwards.

With some breathing room, he gasp for air, as his eyes look at her, hurt and disturbed.

“This can't happen,” Donnie told her flatly, “Even in dreams I have my morals and I don't care what you think I want, or need. I make my stand and refuse to...”

Abruptly interrupted by April's banshee shriek of anger,  Donnie's eyes widen as she suddenly dashed towards him with great speed.

With less than a second to think, his ninja instincts kicked into a defensive stance.

He instinctively  dodged to his left, but not before performing a high kick at her, sending her flying back skidding and tumbling across the cement floor.

The sickening pops and scraping sounds that came from her by the impact of his defence, made him sick in the stomach as he watch in horror on what he did.

_(Oh shell... did I just...)_

April's body finally stopped, flopping where it ended up at and it didn't move an inch nor twitched. There was no indication she was even breathing.

The air grew thick as silence consumed the room and tore it's icy fingers deep down into Donnie's soul.

His heart froze and he couldn't breathe, gasping for air. The shock that he hurt her was more than he could comprehend, regardless this was a dream.

_(I.. I just react... I didn't mean to do that to her... I just wanted her to stop...)_

Shattering the ringing silence, was a sickening daunting laughter that came from the broken female's body as it jerked and popped rising to its feet. Her head straightened up with a twitch, as there was blood pouring from her broken nose as she smiled at him deeply with a devilish grin. Its terrifying curl to it could shatter a thousand mirrors, paralyzing him in fear.

“You don't want me... that is so rich... what a hypocrite you are DONATELLO!” she screamed at him. Her voice echoed off the walls making the room shook under her anger. She narrowed her eyes at him that were deadly, as she stumbled forward, revealing one of her feet have been broken, yet she ignored it moving towards him. “You wanted me before this, you desired me, and now this is how you treat me?” she tilted her head at an ungodly angle at him, eyeing him, piercing him with her gaze.

His voice shaking and hard to let out, he tried to answer this... thing.

_(This is not real... this is not real...)_

“I never wanted April that way...” he answered, surprised he was even able to get a word out since he was still unable to move his legs.

“ **Liar** **!** ” her voice shattered his world around him. Shards of his lab crack like a mirror crumbling to the ground, allowing in a darkness which had no words that could even explain it. She started to snarl, with her lip trembling in her animosity towards him, “You wanted me... you were aroused by me!”

“That... That was me being a male, not how I truly felt,” he defended himself.

“ **Liar** **!** ” she took another step forward, dragging her dead foot behind her, “Your hands were all over me, feeling me, as you grew interested, hungry, wanting!”

“I didn't mean to! It just happened, not because I wanted to! April is my friend, I love her as a sister...”

“And you want more!” the fake April hissed.

“NO!” Donnie shook his head in horror, “I don't want that, I...”

“You're such a fool,” she growled at him.

Donnie not understanding what she was talking about, he blinked at her in confusion, “I'm a fool, why?”

“You wanted me so badly you branded me and now you deny me, like some trash, you ignorant animal!” she spit in disgust.

Puzzled by her statement that he branded her, he looked at her, uncertain what she was talking about, “Brand you? What are you talking about? Jeez, guys get horny, it's not that uncommon. When it does happen, it doesn't always mean we want someone, something or anything, it just happens.”

Barking a laugh, she snapped her head back, “Oh as if its ever that simple pathetic turtle, you're such a moron.” Flashing back at him she turned around, not to walk away, but to pull her dress up to show him her bare back. There in his horror was his hand prints all over it, in all the areas he touched her when he was massaging her.

“You branded me for your lust... and you don't even want me... I wonder what will happen to me for that?” she mused as something on her shoulder blade started to change.

The air started to become dry and heavy and his lungs strain to breathe.

His eyes widen in pure terror as he watched a patch of her skin starting to bubble and turn red. At first it was a blob, with no shape to it and then as the seconds passed on, it started to take a form.

The popping boils started to appear to be a symbol like no other he had seen. It had two inner circles with another on the outside, as there were more circles, three of them on the outer circle connected by lines that made a triangle.

There was even writing of unknown origin throughout the symbol. As the symbol became more defined his vision started to blur and his body felt off as his mind screamed for an escape.

_(This can't be happening... Wake up! **WAKE UP!** )_

“Donnie if you don't like me like this... Maybe you would like me more if I was...” April pulled something from her dress, as Donnie's eyes widen in horror at the green vial of liquid.

_(Where the shell did she get that from!)_

“Don't! You don't know what that stuff will do to you!” Donnie screamed at her in dismay, finding himself able to move once again as he charged forward trying with all his might to take the mutagen from her hand.

“DONNIE WAKE UP!!”

* * *

TBC  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...
> 
> Disclaimer: TMNT  isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.  
>  **Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...**  
>  Rate: T  
> (TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)  
> 

**  
** ****

* * *

“Donnie wake up?” a voice called out. It was strong with worry that shattered Donnie's nightmare as he screamed, falling backwards wiping out on the cold ground.  
  
Instantly a large shadow hovered over him, which turned out to belong to his eldest brother, who hissed between his teeth in dismay.   
  
“Donatello are you okay?” Leo asked, moving in to aid him. He wasn't trying to startle his brother to the point that he fell out of his chair, just to wake him.  
  
Donnie looked up and gave him a bleak look, then reluctantly, his eyes sluggishly looked around, in fear he was still trapped in that horror of a dream.   
  
To his displeasure he was back in his lab, which wasn't something he wanted to see right after awaking.   
  
However the only good thing came out of it was this time it felt right, nothing lurked in the shadows that he could tell.   
  
Satisfied that he was safe once again and sick of the view that flashed him back to the haunting images, he wanted to settle his attention to Leo, knowing the security his brother posed for him.   
  
As his eyes set back on his questioned brother, that's when it went all unexpectedly down hill.   
  
Suddenly his stomach turned violently, sending ungodly pain up his spine and towards his head.   
  
The throbbing was intense, making his body shudder each passing second; he wanted to scream, yet was unable.   
  
Thrashing forward, he spewed what remained of his supper all over Leo.   
  
A yelp of surprise escaped Leo's lips, as he cringed shuffling back in disgust.   
  
The stench filled his nostrils, making him feel ill as well, while he blankly stared at Donnie in disbelief his brother actually just puked on him.  
  
Leo trying to find the words to say something that should have been supporting or brotherly, only could get out, “Ah.... that was gross!...”   
  
His hands raised up, he cringed again looking at the dripping chunks sliding down his plastron, then he heard  horrifying sounds of splashing and gasping for air coming from Donnie's way.   
  
He looked over aghast, realizing Donnie wasn't responding only hunched over puking over the floor.   
  
The alarm of this display, Leo panic in concern, ignoring the disgusting slop on his body.   
  
Rushing to his side Leo grabbed a garbage can to get Donnie to release himself in there, to stop it from spreading over the floor.   
  
His brother not stopping, Leo desperately fumbled his shell cell out of his wet pouch ringing up Mikey.   
  
Donnie with his head in the garbage can, his eyes were watering and his stomach felt like someone was clawing at it.   
  
He could hear Leo's frantic voice ordering Mikey to come to the lab and that there was something terribly wrong.  
_  
(I want to die...)_ Donnie could only think as his body felt cold and ached all over.   
  
He wasn't sure what happened next, but he recalled feeling his brother's comforting hand on his head and how cold it was compared to how he felt.   
  
In his confusion he had no clue if he was hot or cold, and the room started to spin, collapsing into itself.   
  
It wasn't long after the darkness crept in and the fear rose.   
  
Was she going to be there, to meet him once again to taunt him more?

* * *

  
The darkness, that he thought would be his tomb, finally cleared and he slowly sat up to what he believed to be his bed, as a wet clothe fell from his head.   
  
Taking it into his hand, he looked around, to be met with a bright smile from his brother's lips.  
  
“How do you feel?” Mikey asked, placing his hand on Donnie's forehead.  
  
“I think... I'm okay,” Donnie said weakly, feeling drained.  
  
“You gave us a scare Donatello,” Leo's voice came from the door as he entered the room, “You had a fever and it took all night to get it down.”  
  
“I did?” Donnie questioned. He peered at both brother's faces, noticing the define signs that they haven't slept much.   
  
“Yeah dude, it was over one hundred and five Fahrenheit, and you kept puking,” Mikey explained.  
  
Looking guiltily at his brothers, he felt bad for causing so much worry and trouble, “Sorry...”  
  
Leo upon hearing the apology, let out a light chuckle and then sat down on the bed beside him, “Donnie there is nothing to be sorry about, you got sick. Now if it was due to repeated all nighters, then I would be concerned and disappointed in you not taking better care of yourself. However, I know you aren't staying up late, only falling asleep in your lab chair and I don't think that would cause you to get sick.”  
  
“No, it wouldn't and yes, I have been more mindful of my sleeping patterns. I have been keeping an eye on the time, so I don't stay up too late,” Donnie admitted, “but I'm not sure why or how I got sick...”  
  
“Dude,” Mikey placed his hand on Donnie's shoulder, “People get sick, even us mutants. Shell last month Raph had the flue remember?”  
  
“I figure you must have caught something as well, or a stomach bug?” Leo tried to make Donnie feel better. There was no reason for him to feel guilty for being sick of all things when it couldn't be helped.  
  
“I guess your right...” Donnie trailed off. Unfortunately, he could still feel the nightmare clawing at him.   
  
He started to wonder, though it sounds crazy, did he fall ill because of that dream? The other theory was the dream's magnified aftertaste of feelings, was due to the fever that he must have been suffering at the time.  
  
“Don't sweat it bro, just get some rest and I have a bowl of chicken soup for you ready. If you're up for it,” Mikey beamed.  
  
“I'm a bit hungry,” Donnie stated as his stomach grumbled in response.  
  
Mikey let out a chuckle, “I will go get you some water and soup.” With that Mikey was out of the door and Leo patted Donnie on the knee lovingly.  
  
“Get some rest, don't worry about training for the next couple days.”  
  
“Are you sure Leo?” Donnie bit his lip, not wanting to miss any training and fall behind, even if it was only a couple days.   
  
Smiling sweetly Leo nodded, “Just get better, there is no need to strain your body, and if in a couple days you're still not feeling well, I will personally set up a one on one with you to catch up when you do feel better.”  
  
“Thanks Leo,” Donnie laid back, letting his head rest on his pillow as his mind wondered about April. “Leo?” Donnie asked, just as his brother was getting up to leave.   
  
“Yes?”, Leo turned towards him.  
  
“Can you call April and...” Donnie started only to have Leo interrupt.  
  
“I already called her and told her you're sick and it was best not to come over until you're well again. Just like you informed her when Raph had the flue, it was best she doesn't visit. Since the possibility that our bodies might mutate the cold we are inflicted with and could make her sicker than we are,” Leo answered, a bit skeptic on the idea.  
  
“That isn't a mere theory, as you make it sound Leo... Last time Mikey was sick she became so sick that she was hospitalized because of it. Mikey only caught the common cold and his body made the virus worse for April when he gave it to her,” Donnie pointed out.   
  
When that happened last time, April ended out having a nasty strain of the flue because of Mikey's cold. It's not uncommon that people that get sick and their bodies mutate the virus and make others worse than them, and unfortunately, they were just that type that have that kind of bodies.   
  
Though it wasn't proven it was just Mikey or it was because of their mutant bodies that were a factor, however, after that one time it was just safe that she didn't come over when one of them was feeling under the weather.  
  
“Okay,” Leo put out his hands in defence for insulting Donnie's theories, “I get it Donnie. Just don't worry, she was in no hurry to come visit when she heard you were sick. Not that she wasn't concerned, but fully understood she was best to be supportive by not being here,” Leo let out a small chuckle.  
  
“That would be the best for her,” Donnie agreed. Not for her health, but sadly more on the fact he at the moment couldn't face her, not after that nightmare.   
  
It still rattled the core of his very soul and he needed time to let its taunting imagery to drift away to nothingness.   
  
He didn't want it to be so fresh in his mind when he does see her again.   
  
It was so horrific and vivid to him still, he could still smell her skin, and feel that thing still crawling on him. Then there was the blood, he could still distinctively taste it in his mouth.   
  
Seeing Donnie's face turn white, Leo panicked. “Donnie?! Are you going to puke again?” Leo jumped off the bed not wanting to be his brothers' target once again.   
  
Donnie collecting his senses trying to push the imagery that was turning his stomach, he slowly shook his head, holding back the nausea he was experiencing, before answering, “No, I think I'm fine.”  
  
A sigh of relief from his brother came and then a ping sound of metal touching cement came after. “If you do feel the urge, here is a can,” Leo insisted him to use it.  
  
“Thanks Leo,” Donnie chuckled weakly, seeing the horror in his brother's eyes.   
  
Who could blame him?   
  
Being puked on is not a pleasant experience, and compared to his three brothers, he did understand fully.   
  
Donnie lost count the amount of times his brothers have thrown up on him, even Leo had done it to him once or twice. In a way that was payback in Donnie's mind.  
  
“I have things to do Donnie, get some sleep if you can. Mikey should be back soon with your soup,” Leo headed off, exiting the room leaving Donnie on his own.  
  
_(Sleep... I'm not sure I want to do that...)_

* * *

  
  
The light dimmed down to be easier on his eyes, Donnie let his body slump happily in his computer chair.   
  
It has been days since he was able to get out of bed. It was so bad he was too weak to even go to the bathroom without help.   
  
He felt like a burden on his family, as each brother took turns to be by his side getting him what he needed and so on.   
  
The stressful part was he wasn't use to this treatment, it was always the other way around, him watching his brothers and taking care of them.   
  
The foreign experience was beyond hindering, and he was more than happy to finally be able to get down the stairs and to his lab without issue.  
  
Turning on his computer first, he jumped at the static shock he got from it as he instinctively placed his finger in his mouth muttering under his breath.   
  
The tower started to rumble awake from its slumber and the screen flashed a few times.   
  
Then suddenly on one flash Donnie swore in horror he saw that terrifying symbol from his nightmares.   
  
However, before he could conclude it was, it was gone in a flash and his computer booted up normally.  
  
_(I was just seeing things... I am still a bit tired after all.)_ He assured himself, casting the imagery part of his imagination; he was a bit stress of being in bed for three full days after all.   
  
He rubbed his eyes, as he came to the conclusion over everything that happened, he wouldn't be surprised his tension and anxiety would play on his senses.   
  
Letting out a yawn, he tilted his head to the side, seeing something in his peripheral view, that took his brain a few seconds to catch up to what he was staring at.   
  
Donnie fell out of his chair startled, then scrambled to his feet in shock acknowledging the object he swore wasn't there when he entered the lab; the canister on the edge of his desk.  
  
_(Was that there a minute ago?)_  He frantically looked around to see if anyone had entered or exited. To his dismay, he couldn't find any evidence to that theory, as his fear rose to the impossibility.   
  
“Why the shell is it even out of my safe? I swear I didn't have it out the last time I was in the lab,” Donnie told himself out loud, biting his lip.   
  
Reaching for the canister he picked it up examining it to make sure it hadn't been open. He knew his brothers knew better than to play with mutagen even though it had no effect on them since they were already mutants, it still could alter anything that wasn't a mutant.   
  
The only reason he had this sample in his lab was for research purposes.   
  
When he and his brothers found the origins of their mutation that made them who they were that day, he wanted to learn all he could of it to understand their own biology.   
  
For safety reasons he had it locked away and only brought it out to sample small doses. From there he had methods to dispose the small testing mutagen so he wouldn't contaminate anything or cause an outbreak of mutants.   
  
This stuff as he could tell so far was unpredictable and unstable in most cases, he wasn't sure of the rules for they appeared to be different depending on what it was affecting.   
  
He let out a sigh when he gathered it wasn't opened or none was taken.   
  
Unsure how it got onto his desk,  he travelled to the back of his lab to placed it back into the safe.   
  
When he reached the solid metal door, to his surprise, he found it was locked, on top of this already mystery.   
  
He only being the one with the combination he wondered more, how did it get onto his desk?   
  
Not just that why hadn't anyone put it away in a safer location when he was sick?   
  
Leo showed in the past his dislike of Donnie having that canister in his possession, wouldn't dare leave it out in the open.   
  
Donnie doubt Leo never entered the lab during the pass three days, unless it was recently placed out... Then by whom?  
  
(I would never leave something like this out... And if I did, Leo would have my tail for it... Could Mikey... No even that doesn't sound right.)  
  
Consumed by the mystery, oblivious of his surroundings and staring at his open safe he had unlocked, he shuddered hearing a voice near the entrance of the lab. “Donnie are you here?”  
  
The voice all too familiar, Donnie quickly place the mutagen back into its should be safe containment. He shut the door and then turn on the ball of his heel to head back towards the entrance before anyone or 'her' decided to come to search for him.   
  
His heart was thumping out of his chest as his hands felt numb. Half of him was excited that she was here, as the other was mortified in fear of what she may be wearing, or how she would emotionally act towards him.   
  
Sure he knew that nightmare has been just that... However, that little part of him deep in his soul feared there was some truth. Then again the darkening feeling could be a result of his fever dream, he was sick after all...  
  
He briskly walked down the narrow aisle made up of tall shelves clutter with parts and oddities, he made a sharp right next; by now he was able to see her coming into his line of sight.    
  
Her arms were crossed in a casual pose, lost in thought while she bit her lip.   
  
April must have been contemplating if she should go look for him, or someone had fooled her thinking he could be found here.   
  
Her appearance to his relief was normal, she was wearing something he has seen her wear before, it was simple and just her style.   
  
When her eyes drifted towards his, she gave him a sweet, kind smile, then suddenly it changed to worry.   
  
“Donnie, there you are. How are you feeling?” April asked concerned.   
  
He placed a smile on his own green lips in hopes that she would take it he was happy to see her.   
  
It was the only thing he could think of that he could do to hide his odd conflicting feelings towards her due to his dream, as he walked up to her. “Better, a bit tired, but not bad. You? You haven't showed any signs of being sick?”  
  
April shook her head, “Nope, luckily.”  
  
“Indeed...” Donnie held his breath, then dared, “April after you left that night, before Leo found me running a fever, by chance did you come back?”  
  
“No, I didn't. I went home and you said you wanted to go over the programming I had done so far, to see what it could inspire you to improve on your design. Why?”    
  
Shrugging Donnie smiled at the news it was a fever dream, “Just making sure you weren't around me when I had the fever.”  
  
Nodding April leaned against the desk, “I'm healthy, so you don't have to worry.”  
  
“Sounds great, so you came over just to check on me?” Donnie asked, taking a seat in his chair.  
  
“Yes and heard you were feeling better so I thought to bring supper and a movie,” April told him.  
  
“Oh.”  
  
April hoping for a better response, gave him a wary look and then frowned “You're not feeling well enough are you...”  
  
“No no, that's not it.” Donnie placed his hand behind his head, “Sorry, was just thinking that you didn't have to do that. I mean to go out of your way to...”  
  
“Donnie, I don't mind,” April cut in, “Besides Mikey has been hinting to me for weeks to rent that SciFi that you two been wanting to see.”  
  
“Ah, that movie,” Donnie cheered up, “I have been wanting to see it for sure and I know Mikey been bouncing on the idea of wanting to rent it around Leo as well. Didn't realize he was doing the same with you.”  
  
With a chuckle April shrugged, “Of course he was, what better way to get your way, then bug the two people that could make it happen?”   
  
Pushing herself off the desk, she started to walk to the door, “Either way been meaning to see if you guys been wanting a movie night, but as we both know you and I have been too busy to make it happen. This would be a perfect night to do it. This way you can still rest and have some company at the same time.”  
  
“Sounds great, but give me a moment I need to do something first. Then I will join you guys,” Donnie explained, watching his friend leave the lab with a nod and telling him not to take too long. Once she was out of sight, he rushed towards the security computer that he had all the lairs cameras set up on.   
  
The mystery of how the mutagen ended up on his desk disturbed him.   
  
Even more so on who would know his combination to his safe and thought it was a wise idea to even leave that hazardous stuff out in the open?   
  
He could just ask his brothers, but fear of raising Leo's concerns in the process as well, with no solid evidence it was one of them.   
  
His big brother wasn't too keen on the idea of him having the substance, let alone a canister in his lab, regardless it was locked up or not.   
  
That would give his brother the excuse to force him to destroy it; he wasn't done with it yet, and had so much to learn from it still.   
  
With just the labs camera winding back, frame by frame not too fast to miss something, he eventually came to a bizarre sight.   
  
He watched himself come into the lab, sit down and after noticing the mutagen putting it away. That not being odd in anyways, it was when he went back further, and to his disbelief, it wasn't on the desk until the exact moment he entered the room.   
  
It actually just popped into the frame with no explanation for it.   
  
Watching it in slow-mo to see what the shell was going on, he suddenly jerked out of his seat almost slamming onto his shell in shock witnessing the screen.   
  
Unexpectedly, it turned white and that eerie symbol flashed for a few frames, before going back to normal with him entering the room and the canister was on the desk.   
  
In his horror of losing his mind, he rubbed his eyes and sat there for a moment before daring to crawl back into his chair, to evaluate what he had seen.   
  
In front of the screen again, his heart was racing, his palms were sweating, and the little voice in the back of his head said to leave it, rejoin his family and forget it ever happened.   
  
_(What was that? Am I going mad?)_  
  
His hand shook as it click on the mouse rewinding the frames as he held his breath, once he was before the exact moment the symbol appeared, he hesitantly pressed play.   
  
The room became cold and he shivered clinging his desk for support.   
  
Each second that passed, his anxiety grew and he wondered what was going on.   
  
To his disbelief this time nothing happened, no flash of white and... no mutagen on the desk. He was speechless as he watched himself walk up to the desk, then heading towards the back, empty-handed. A second ago, it was on the screen and now it wasn't?   
  
_(This is not possible I know what I saw, I know I put it back in the safe.)_  
  
In his desperation, he rewind the tape over and over, not seeing one spec of evidence that the mutagen was there at all.   
  
Donnie rushed out of his seat heading for the back, towards his safe. He started to frantically punch in the codes as he messed it up unable to open it, which caused his frustrations to grow.   
  
The turtle became flustered and the mistakes were not going away; finally it opened and he found the mutagen safely way where he left it, as his sanity was now questioned.  
  
Taking a step back, but not before slamming the safe shut, he placed his face in his hand.  _(Why is this happening, I'm I still sick? Am I having hallucinations now too?)_  
  
“Donnie are you okay, bro?” Mikey's voice came from behind. This startled Donnie, making him jump two feet in the air and then turn towards his brother in horror.  
  
Mikey taken back by the response, would normally be proud of scaring a brother, instead, was guilty as his eyes study Donnie in return.  
  
“Sorry bro, I didn't mean to scare you,” Mikey whimpered.  
  
“I... No, it's okay Mikey, I was deep in thought, I'm fine...  Just a bit startled” Donnie assured him trying to slow his heartbeat down.  
  
“Are you sure? You look like you saw a ghost,” Mikey pointed out not in his normal playful tone, yet one that was full of concern.  
  
Donnie painted a smile on his lips, trying his hardest to make it seem genuine, “I'm fine, is everything ready for the movie?” he changed the subject before the little brother tried to pry more information out of him.  
  
“Yeah, that is why I came to get you... Are you sure?” Mikey made another attempt, only to have Donnie pat Mikey on the shoulder.  
  
“I'm fine, come on we shouldn't leave everyone waiting.” 

* * *

  
TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...
> 
> Disclaimer: TMNT isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.  
> Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...  
> Rate: T  
> (TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)

**  
** ****

* * *

**Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...  
Rate: T  
  
Summary: **Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...  
**  
******

* * *

His body relaxed against the couch's arm, while his eyes happily watched the movie with his surrounding family, as each was quiet and enjoying the show.   
  
To Donnie's right, Mikey passed him the bowl of popcorn, as he gladly accepted it, popping some buttery kernels into his mouth and then passed it on to April next.   
  
The delicious bowl continued to travel, ending in Leo's lap as he took a hand full. Before the food reached his mouth, suddenly a large crash echoed through the air, startling them all. Leo flipped the bowl over in his haste,  jumping to his feet and grabbing his swords that were in arm's length. He was followed by each brother who did the same, turning towards the direction the ominous sound thundered from.   
  
“Shell, what was that?” Raph said harshly.  
  
“Not sure,” Leo admitted.  
  
The leader's eyes flashed at both entrances to the lair, not seeing any evidence that either have been breached, before settling them back towards the dojo where he swore the sound came from.   
  
At the moment his grey icy eyes settled on its gateway, there was another crash as he went to action swiftly giving out orders, “Donnie stay with April, protect her! If you have to, head to your lab if things go south. Mikey, Raph with --”   
  
Another crashed alarmed them, cutting off Leo. The blue clad turtle dropped the speech, instead he rushed forward with his two brothers not far behind.   
  
Donnie with his orders, held his bo staff before him in a defensive stance and then gently took April's arm, instructing her to go behind him.   
  
His eyes widened with trepidation, as they searched the shadows of the lair for movement. The anticipation rising, nothing stirred the blackness and the air grew dense when he witnessed his brothers disappearing into the gloom of the dojo.   
  
His breaths becoming short by his inpatients, with not hearing any advancements to the disturbing sounds, moments ago, he worried for the worst.   
  
What felt like hours, suddenly Leo walked calmly out, shrugging, “It looks like the weapon rack let go.”   
  
Though it appeared to be just an innocent incident, Donnie shifted uneasily. It was over how Leo's eyes were burning through him, making the turtle think there was more than that, not said. Probably due to April being in the room.  
  
There was an anger mixed in the older brother's aura and Donnie felt it, especially how his voice turned sour to match it, forcing Donnie to think Leo was livid with him, but why? It's was not like the weapon rack falling was his fault.  
  
“Donnie can I speak to you,” Leo said coldly, as Raph left the dojo giving Donnie a 'you're in so much shit' look.  
  
“Sure,” Donnie gulped, not liking where this was going. Why was he in trouble, seriously? “I will be right back April. How about rewinding the movie while I help Leo clean up the dojo?” he asked her as she nodded at him. Watching Raph heading towards them, he figured he was best to wipe that smirk off of his brother's face. It was obvious as day he was in some sort of trouble, yet having Raph rubbing it in wasn't helping. “I will take it, Raph is going to clean up the popcorn?” he added in quickly before Raph could even consider sitting back in his seat.  
  
Raph narrowed his eyes at him over the suggestion, then he huffed, not bothering to argue, heading towards where the broom was stored. Feeling a bit satisfied and less fearful of what may come, Donnie made his way to Leo, still confused why his older brother's icy eyes were targeting him like this.  
  
Leo not saying a word took the lead, heading into the dojo with Donnie following close behind. Once they entered the room, Donnie was able to see Mikey, who was hovered over where the weapons were scattered across the floor.  When Mikey heard them approaching, he raised his head, it was when his eyes notice it was he who was accompanied with Leo, Mikey bit his lip and scurried out of the room quickly, as if he was burning something in the kitchen.   
  
(What is going on?)  
  
Leo made a full stop before the mess and waited for him to have a good long look before speaking.   
  
Donnie raised his eyebrow in confusion, examining the clutter. At first, all he could see were weapons of all types and different sizes, until he caught notice the one thing that didn't look like the others, which rattled his soul and made his blood run cold. His mouth unable to work, Donnie stared at the container, the same one he had not long ago locked away, and he knew he did so. He did check it before Mikey fetched him for the movie!  
  
(WHAT THE SHELL!) Donnie stared at the canister of mutagen laying there, luckily not broken in the middle of the weapons scattered across the floor.   
  
His eyes daring scanned up to where the heavy-duty rack was mounted, the big bolts that held it up were ripped from the wall. He was the one that set it up in the first place and there was no way he could see how the weight of the weapons would do that kind of damage. However, that wasn't the issue here and he knew that. Odd as the situation was, he could feel Leo's disappointment pouring off of him over the canister not the rack, and the questions on how it got there were coming.   
  
What was he to say? He had no clue how this was possible. Unless, of course Leo doesn't mention the mutagen, and all his brooding was over the fact that the rack was designed to weak to handle its own function. Which could have resulted in someone getting hurt at any given moment, like if they decided to do some training before the movie. If that was so, that would mean he was just hallucinating right now, as he has done earlier? Not that he wanted to think he was losing it, but how it stands, right now he wouldn't mind going down that road, to avoid the pending doom he would face otherwise.  
  
Leo cleared his throat before addressing his brother, “Donatello care to explain to me, how that canister got in here?”  
  
The dread slap him in the face as he whipped his head up to meet those eyes, that struck him with fear, which consumed him, “I...”  
  
“You are aware that I only agreed with you keeping such a dangerous substance in our home was that you promised to lock it up and take precautions when handling it...” Leo started to lecture.  
  
“I have and...”  
  
Leo huffed annoyed, then pointed to the mutagen, “Is this your definition of locking it up safely?”  
  
“Leo I don't..."  
  
“Enough Donatello!” Leo snarled, “I expected better from you than being so negligent on seeing how serious this is! What if it had broken open? Are you aware the dangers you have put April in? We would have to send her home and not allow her to come over, or even us visit her until we are a hundred percent certain this bio-hazard is contained!”   
  
Donnie fell silent shuffling his feet as Leo continued raising his voice as he did, “What if it came in contact with any living being? A fly, rat, cockroach, there is too many possibilities and that container alone would cause an epidemic!”  
  
“Leo please, I,” Donnie desperately tried to explain, even if it didn't make sense.   
  
Leo not caring what excuses would spew out of his brother's mouth, he had thrown his arms in the air and then snatched up the canister pressing it forcefully against Donnie's chest, “Dispose of it properly and don't give me; you still need it.”  
  
“What?” Donnie's eyes trailed down to the canister, “I do still need it...”  
  
“Then I will tell April she can't visit until you do!” Leo put his foot down, “This little incident proves you can't be reliable in handling this chemical, and I refuse to allow you to put our friend in such dangers over your negligence.”  
  
“Leo please be reasonable,” Donnie argued. He did still need it. He was just scratching the surface of its capabilities and how it relates to his brothers' bodies and his.  
  
“Reasonable?!” Leo shot Donnie a dirty look, “Reasonable would have been me refusing that to even cross the threshold of our home! Donatello, I want it gone before the end of the day, and if you don't, April is banned from visiting as you are forbidden to visit her, do I make myself clear?”  
  
“I...” Donnie mumbled holding the canister tightly, “I will dispose of it Leo.”  
  
“Good I will fetch Mikey to accompany you to see that you do so as I will escort April home,” Leo dryly told him, exiting the dojo.  
  
“Yeah...” Donnie muttered under his breath. Gawking at the canister, he knew Leo was right and how things were going that day he wondered why he was even fighting on this. Twice it was out of its confinement, regardless the first time he had no proof it was on his desk, this time he knew he wasn't seeing things, and Leo was clearly proving he too could see it. If this kept up something horrible could happen and he too did fear for April...  


* * *

  
  
“That's it?” Mikey asked, twirling on his seat showing off how bored he was.  
  
“Yes,” Donnie answered him, crossing his arms as he watched the machine, he used to dispose of his samples of the mutagen in the past, work on the canister.  
  
“Thought it would be more...”  
  
“More what? Mikey, there will be no explosions or anything bizarre like in your video games and comics,” Donnie said dryly.  
  
Mikey shrugged, “You should add something a bit more entertaining.”  
  
He rolled his eyes at the comment, “Mikey not everything needs the bells and whistles, as long it does its job that is all that matters.”  
  
“Still think it should have something,” Mikey tilted back, staring at the ceiling and then bit his lip, “So Donnie, why did you have it in the dojo? I mean what would be the purpose of that?”  
  
Taking a chair to rest upon, since the process to neutralize the mutagen was a timely one, especially for such a large amount, he sighed before bothering to say a thing. “I didn't.”  
  
Mikey sat up raising an eyebrow in confusion, “What do you mean dude? Who else would put it in the dojo?”  
  
“I don't know,” Donnie admitted.  
  
“You are aware you don't make sense, right?”   
  
Letting out another breath, he shook his head, “Yes I am aware. As I am aware, I never brought it in the dojo. As you plainly pointed out. Why would I?”  
  
“Yet again dude, who would or could? No one knows your safe code; I tried and never figured it out...” Mikey trailed off seeing Donnie shoot a look at him, “Sorry bro, do you really expect me not to try?”  
  
“I guess not,” Donnie groaned, slumping into his chair, “However, I stand by my statement...”  
  
“Okay, say I believe you, though I know you wouldn't lie; it's not you,” Mikey moistened his lips, “How could it have ended up in the dojo and the weapon rack...”  
  
“Looks like someone ripped it off the wall,” Donnie finished his brother's sentence with a shiver seeing Mikey turning white.  
  
“Dude... I wish you never said that,” Mikey winced.  
  
“You had the same impression didn't you Mikey?” he sat up studying the now disturbed brother.  
Donnie has for some time, strongly suspected Mikey was more in tuned to the unknown than any of his other brothers. Though he himself wasn't one to jump to such conclusions as supernatural in nature, incessantly searching for the scientific explanation to even the most bizarre of events. However, with what has happened so far and what he had experienced first hand, he couldn't ignore Mikey's connections he had to the unexplained, especially with such delicate situations such as this.  There had been too many past occurrences that reflected on Mikey having such a  gift of perception and even feeling something that he should not be able to. This little enlightenment on his side over his baby brother, he did ponder, since how Mikey was acting, did he experience something that wasn't natural. If that was the case, what was it and did it have to do with... her?  
  
The silence swelled as Mikey slowly motioned a nod, even so, still refuse to utter anything more.   
  
Donnie bit his lip observing his lab door and then focus his attention back to his little brother, “What did you sense?"  
  
As if startled by the question, Mikey jerked in his seat, shifting his feet and then rubbed his hands together nervously, “Dude I don't...”  
  
“Mikey?” Donnie leaned forward, dragging his chair close to his kid brother and placing his hands on Mikey's chair arms, “What did you feel or... see?”  
  
“I heard... and saw...” Mikey shivered, not wanting to relive what was haunting him.  
  
Seeing the sudden building trepidation in his brother, Donnie warmly set his hand on his shoulder, “Mikey please, it's important.”  
  
Mikey's eyes gazed into his, there was something about them that made Donnie regret in forcing his brother to reflect on what he heard, “Dude... I went into the room and... the air was so cold, yet neither Leo nor Raph noticed... Then when I got near the weapons... I  noticed how it looked like someone torn it down, yet Raph and Leo still weren't fazed and searched the room. Finding nothing, Leo just shrugged and passed it off as some normal thing. Like it just fell down by its own demise, due to the overload of weight from the weapons or something like that... He didn't even take a second glance on how it clearly was ripped off the wall, unnaturally.”  
  
“Go on,” Donnie watched him, rubbing his shoulder, seeing Mikey was starting to breathe heavily and his body juddered.  
  
Nodding Mikey's lip trembled, “I looked over at the weapons Donnie, thoroughly... I never once saw the canister of mutagen in the mix at the time.”  
  
“WHAT?” Donnie almost fell out of his chair bombshell, “What do you mean?”  
  
“Dude,” Mikey flashed a gaze at him, “It wasn't there! I swear!” Mikey vibrated with tears with his fear blooming, “Then... Then I swore... I heard April's voice in my ear... She...”  
  
Mikey abruptly started to have trouble breathing and gasped for air. Instantaneously, knowing what to do, Donnie rushed to his feet and darted to his desk that was nearby. He lashed his drawers open in his haste for something he knew he needed to find. Finally, as he witnessed his brother's dilemma in breathing become worsened, he found the object and took out the paper bag. Mikey was starting to show signs of a panic attack. Back to his brother, he provided Mikey that bag, as he calmly directed him, “Mikey, here. Use this and breathe.”  
  
Mikey snatched the bag and used it; it was moments later that he was breathing naturally again, “Thanks bro.”  
  
“No problem. I'm sorry Mikey, I have to ask...”  
  
“I know,” Mikey nodded with a whimper and then reluctantly continued his story, “Dude, I swore she was whispering in my ear, but I knew she was with  you, how is that possible?”  
  
“I don't know,” Donnie admitted, “What did she say?”  
  
“She said... It will happen, one way or another, he branded me...” Mikey answered with a shiver as Donnie's eyes widen at the last part of the message. He branded her... the nightmare April said the same thing to him. Swallowing hard Donnie sat down in his seat, staring into the abyss, it was Mikey's voice that snapped him out of it.  
  
“Donnie... then Leo gasped, stating why was the canister in the middle of the weapons?”  
  
“What?” Donnie looked up at him, “Are you saying that it wasn't there before, however, it suddenly appeared in the room after you heard that disembodied voice?”  
  
Mikey nodded wearily, “I know how it sounds, but...”  
  
Quickly he shook his head, “Mikey, I believe you. I told you I didn't have it in the dojo; it was locked up. When you came into my lab for the movie I was checking on it.”  
  
“That is why you were in the back of your lab?” Mikey asked.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“For...” Donnie hesitated, then knew he could speak freely to Mikey, compare to any other brother, “That morning when I first went to my lab, I found the canister on my desk, and I put it away. After that I decided to check the security system to see how it ended up there...”  
  
“And who did you see?” Mikey hastily interrupted, as he was on the edge of his seat.  
  
“No one... It just appeared there out of thin air before I entered the lab, however, now if you view the video, all you will find is that it doesn't show what I first saw and experienced first hand. What it displays is me coming in, getting up and walking to the back empty handed, when in reality, I swear I was putting it away.”  
  
“What?” Mikey gasped, “So did you bring it to the back or not? Was it on your desk or not?”  
  
“Mikey, I swear to you, though I have to admit, I didn't notice it on my desk when I first entered. I did after I sat down, and then I put it away, unsure why it was even out. I know I wasn't hallucinating! That is why I was in the back seeing if I was losing my mind.”  
  
Mikey leaned back slowly, looking at the machine that was neutralizing the mutagen, “Dude, what the shell is going on?”  
  
“I don't know,” Donnie admitted, “But I think Leo was right; it's for the best I get rid of it.”  
  
“Hopefully, it will stop what was happening,” Mikey whimpered, “But why did I hear April's voice? I mean it was so much like hers, but the same time something wasn't right about it.”  
  
“What do you mean, Mikey?”  
  
“It sounded cold, malicious and,” Mikey turned toward Donnie, “I think it was talking about you when it mentioned 'he'.”  
  
“I'm not surprised,” Donnie now whimpered. Witnessing Mikey raising an eyebrow in curiosity, Donnie sighed, seeing no point in hiding the rest of the story. It took a while, but he opened up with all the details, telling Mikey his nightmarish experience starting with his dream with April.   
  
After the terrifying tale was told Mikey was more concerned than before, however, Donnie assured him whatever was happening was over now. It seemed it was connected to the mutagen from the beginning to end, and no mutagen meant no more freaky situations... He hoped...  


* * *

  
  
TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...
> 
> Disclaimer: TMNT isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.  
> Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...  
> Rate: T  
> (TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)

**  
** ****

* * *

**  
** ****

_'Was it really wise for him to do this alone in his lab, even though the bizarre threat was taken care of?'_

After confirming the mutagen was disposed of safely and even Mikey vouching in his defense to Leo the deed had been done, neither dared to mention their theory to anyone what was truly behind the disturbing events in the dojo or what happen to Donnie in the lab.

Leo was an understanding brother at times, however, the two turtle brothers, both strongly believed the eldest wouldn't take their truth to heart, twisting it as some tall tale of an excuse and even considered their previous word that the mutagen was neutralize was a lie.

_(I just need to make sure... I trust Mikey, but I got to be positive that there wasn't something I missed and this is truly over.)_

When he was talking to Mikey earlier, Donnie was confident that the past events were not in his head, nor some hallucination caused by him coming into contact with an unknown substance from either home or outside.

If it was, he would assume that all three brothers and April would have been affected to some degree.

As far as he was aware only Mikey and he had shown any concerns about the events in the dojo, other then just the mutagen being there.

Which he deeply concluded it was something other than science could explain. However, the question the plagued him now, was it that simple?

The mutagen was linked to what went down? How, why and since when?

Not that he was looking for trouble, or wanted to make this into something that was actually nothing, but his mind couldn't rest until he touched base on every possibility, turning all rocks over, to conclude that nothing was overlooked.

He feared if even a fragment of that horror survived, it would escalate once again and this time around would harm his family.

Donnie didn't care if this gruelling task took all night or days even if it came to that, he would gladly sift through all the footage of the lair frame by frame, until he felt confident once again that everything was back to normal and he could move on.

His finger clicked impatiently searching through the video feed, starting between his lab and the dojo, beginning from the time frame when Mikey came in to grab him for the movie.

His eyes flashed through the three cameras, happy the angles were showing him everything he needed, but if they truly caught anything was another story.

Frame by frame his eyes started to burn, he should've asked Mikey to help him, but after Mikey's incident in the dojo leaving him shaken up, he just didn't have the heart to put his brother through this.

The annoying tone of clicking polluted the air, which was the only sound that disturbed the thick fog of silence around the security station desk.

Click, click, click, he started to doubt it would be worthwhile to bother watching all the feeds, so far nothing had happened other than his family enjoying themselves.

Click, click, he finally found himself at the moment where Mikey was describing and to his dismay what he saw made no sense other then disproved his brother's story.

The tapes rolled, having nicely in frame the weapon rack. At first, nothing appeared to be wrong with it, then suddenly it buckled forward, then fell, after the weapons finally settled the mutagen sat there in the middle.

His brothers came in and Mikey stared right at it several times not reacting, then he jolted and turned white with fear. That was the moment it was noticed by Leo as well.

Rewinding to figure out how the mutagen got there in the first place, Donnie was stumped, it didn't look like it just appeared in thin air.

The way it came into view, it almost was like it fell off the weapon rack with the weapons, yet it wasn't in the frame when the weapons secure onto the wall and before it fell.

How it got there was still a mystery on its own, for there was no footage showing it leaving his lab or going through the lair to the dojo. No one entered or exit the dojo between the time he left his lab to the moment the weapons had fallen.

Taking a long deep flustered breath, Donnie moaned in vain, allowing his tired eyes drift away from the video, for he was growing restless at this pointless pursuit to make any sense of it.

He placed his hands on his head and then closed his eyes, contemplating if he was best to delete the footage altogether to avoid any questions if anyone bothered to take a look at it later.

The notion of his brothers wondering why he deleted it and start speculating was the lesser of two evils, then to bear witness this bizarre truth. With that thought in mind, he was best not to bring this up with his little brother either.

The last thing at the moment he wanted to do was to have his kid brother thinking he doubted his story since he believed Mikey whole hardheartedly, regardless the evidence stated otherwise.

Not just that, Mikey too in turn trusted him when anyone else would think he had lost his marbles or was suffering from sleep deprivation, staying up when he should be resting.

Which was a normal excuse to downplay any of his issues he was facing or concerns he had that his brothers didn't see anything to be alarmed with.

If they didn't see it or believe in it, no matter what it is, to them it wasn't there nor did it exist to them.

Now sadly he started to see why Mikey falls to, more times than not, hiding and bottle things up, for it tends to be easier than hearing someone you trust to tell you it's in your head one way or another.

“Donnie?” Leo's voice came from behind, startling him.

Donnie hadn't expected the eldest to visit him anytime that evening, he panicked since he hadn't deleted the footage yet and it was broadcast on his screen still in freeze frame.

Wary to have Leo getting a good glimpse of what he was doing, he moved into action swiftly turning the recording back to real time.

Once done, he didn't hear any indication from his still approaching brother catching him in the act, he let out a silent sigh of relief, yet knew that he wasn't out of the woods yet.

To make sure not to raise any red flags and to craftily play the innocent card, he turned around in his chair casually, giving his brother a smile and was to greet him as well.

However, he paused that thought as he noticed Leo stood there holding something firmly in his hand and giving him a particular look.

He could feel the cold air freezing his lungs as the big brother's eyes were dangerously focused on the monitors behind him as if Leo was trying to figure out why he was at that station instead of at his desk or doing something else.

“Can I help you Leo?” Donnie asked, to draw Leo's attention back to him, while his eyes trailed back and forth from the clenched hand and towards Leo's face.

Leo hesitated for a moment and then relaxed, shaking his head slightly not answering Donnie's question with that action, more as if he was just shrugged his curiosity to the side, and not wanting to bother asking what his brother was doing and just continue with why he was there for.

“I was wondering if you can fix my mp3 player?” Leo answered. Leo opened his hand showing Donnie what was in it, that was a small mp3 player Donnie had fixed up for him a while back.

When Leo wasn't meditating or training, one of his things he enjoyed doing was listening to music, mostly when he was in the bath to relax and of course get away from his brothers and any responsibilities that came with it.

“What is wrong with it?” Donnie inquired, taking the player from Leo. He turned it around seeing nothing physically wrong with the casing at least, Leo didn't drop it in the bath or of the sorts he could tell so far.

“When I play it, the song starts off normal and then suddenly static begins to drown the music. Each song does it, starts and then static,” Leo explained with a heavy sigh.

“When did it first start acting that way?” Donnie asked next, turning on the player.

He examined how it turned on with ease and display the options.

Scrolling towards Leo's song list, he wanted to start there, then just randomly picking a song from the library, if he wished to repeat Leo's issue. To get to the bottom of it, he had to do exactly what Leo would have done after turning it on.

_(It could be a hardware issue. The songs could have become corrupted. It's not like this player is the newest model on the market and I did have to fix a lot of parts in it in the first place, considering when I found it, it had water damage amongst a few other issues. The last owner must have dropped it in the toilet or something on that line, and then just threw it away after.)_

“Not sure, it worked this morning fine, but when I tried to use it moments ago it wouldn't stop doing it. I even turn it off and back on and I made sure the battery is charged,” Leo answered with disappointment in his tone. He must have been looking forward to using it.

Nodding, Donnie placed the earbuds in his ears playing the first song.

The song began, then seconds into the track it started to dim down and static rose in its place. Baffled Donnie checked the next song with the same result and the next.

Sucking on his lip deep in thought, he wondered if the songs are just corrupted, and he wouldn't have to take it apart.

Though it would mean Leo would have to delete the current songs and then reinstall them back on, he thought this would be the only solution at the moment, until suddenly something came from the static.

“YOU BRANDED ME!” a voice in the static screamed and shrieked into his eardrums.

Horrified Donnie twitch, cringed back letting out a scream of his own, tossing the mp3 at the monitor station desk, ripping the earbuds out as he did. Leo jumped back, startled by Donnie's reaction quickly gave him a questionable look, unsure what to do, seeing his young brother hunched over the desk, panting and his eyes widen in pure fear.

“Donnie are you okay? What is wrong?” Leo frantically asked, placing his hand on Donnie, ignoring that Donnie just threw his player like it was possessed and could have damaged it more, which wasn't what was important.

Shivering and trying to get some control of his body, Donnie nodded slowly moistening his lips, “Yeah, sorry the volume suddenly spiked and not only hurt my ears but startled me as well.”

 _(Please believe me...)_ Donnie, not one to like lying to his older brother, did so and it wasn't questioned as Leo looked at him concerned in return.

“Is your hearing okay?” Leo asked next with worry in his voice.

“I... I believe so,” Donnie answered, shifting his jaw like he was popping his ears, “But I think I would definitely need to see what is wrong with...”

As if something was trying to prove that the mp3 volume did go up, loud music beat out of the earbuds, instead of static.

Leo blinked at it, picking it up and lowering the volume to take a listen. Leo pressed a button after another with a confused expression on his face, yet there was a happy smile forming on his lips, “I guess all it needed was a good hit, it's working again.”

“Really?” Donnie took an earbud confident no phantom voice would jump out if Leo had the other half. As Leo had stated the music was working again.

(Then did I really hear... no it's over, isn't it? This can't be happening! We stopped it... it has to be over...)

“See,” Leo said cheerfully, “Each song is working now, thanks Don.”

“Yeah... sure... no problem,” Donnie let go of the earbud, “Well," he cleared his dry throat, swallowing back the lump of fear back, "if you don't mind Leo I wanted to back up the security system, its that time of the month.”

“Oh,” Leo said in a sad tone. His older brother had that look like he wanted to talk more or have a conversation at least with Donnie, probably he was feeling guilty for his earlier forceful decision and wanted to make up for it.

“Sorry,” Donnie said only to have Leo cut him off.

“Donnie there is no reason to apologize, I wanted to take a bath anyways,” Leo smiled before making his leave, leaving Donnie once again alone.

Letting out a sigh Donnie found himself with his hands over his face as he leaned forward using the desk for support.

“Am I losing it?” Donnie whispered to himself questioning his sanity, he swore he heard her voice in the recording and it spewed those haunting words. 'He branded her...'

“Are you?” a disembodied voice asked in his ear making him stiff right up, scaring him half to death in the process.

He jerked his head up, hastily pushing himself off his chair and reaching for his bo to arm himself.

Quickly he spun towards where he swore he heard the voice yet found nothing there.

Desperately he scanned his room, still not seeing anyone or indication someone was hiding.

Again he was hearing something that is not really there?

He cautiously moved away from the computer to investigate, just as he did, he heard a click behind him that was made by his mouse.

Whipping around on the ball of his heel with bo ready to strike the intruder, there was no one to greet him once again.

He cant his head towards the monitor screens that have changed from the previous feed, rewind and focused on the living room, playing from when they were watching the movie.

Blinking at the screen, he had already sworn he viewed this before not capturing anything out of the ordinary, however now he suddenly noticed something that wasn't right.

_(I don't have a camera at that angle, how was this captured?)_

The angle wasn't correct, what was displaying was directly behind where they were seated, as if the camera was aimed directly at the TV set.

He originally had that camera positioned facing partially the living room and his lab, that was a wider range, mounted onto a pillar.

This new setup the camera was in, was impossible to achieve at its current location unless it was physically moved.

Even then that was still not plausible since there is no pillars or anything that could be used to mount a camera that was paralleled to the TV to achieve this angle at all.

He felt nervous as his eyes examine the footage, he did not dare move closer to the desk, holding his bo staff in anticipating something horrific was going to happen.

They were seated on the couch with himself on one end and Raph on the other with April in the middle; Mikey was on Donnie's side sitting comfortably on the bean bag chair and Leo was on Raph's side of the room of the worn out chair.

All eyes were on the multiple screens that played the movie, with laughter and snorts filling the air, not one of them noticed that something was moving behind the couch that oddly was out of focus, regardless that everything else was. It wasn't a bug on the screen or a smudge he could tell, biting his lip, he leaned closer, squinting at it to make it out.

Then to his horror, he witnessed the dark mass darted behind April, rising slowly up to a standing position, as something extended from its see-through figure touching her on the left shoulder. When the thing touched her, she actually did react with a shiver rotating her shoulder blades in response.

_(Wait a minute, I remember her doing that a few times during the movie! I thought she was stiff or was uncomfortable between Raph and me. Raph even shifted over to give her more room, if I'm correct. Yet I never once saw anything behind her during that whole time...)_

He continued to watch the dark figure just hovering there not moving, like some stalker taunting its prey from the shadows.

It was a perfect scene from some horror movie he watched a while back where the camera caught someone sleeping in their bed and had a haunting figure standing beside the bed watching them for hours, just staring at them.

Only this one just not stared at April as Donnie could make out a head shape twisted down at April while refusing to stop touching April on her shoulder or was it her shoulder blade?

The more he watched, it hit him as he recognized it was the exact same spot the nightmare April in his dreams was showing him where she was branded.

A chill rose, taking a firm grip on him making his body shutter uncontrollably.

(It was touching April there... Why was it touching April, what did it do to her?)

As if the thing could hear his thoughts the shadow's head twisted toward the camera suddenly and then an unnatural pure white smile flashed on its deformed face just before everyone jumped out of their seats over the sound from the dojo.

The beaming demonic smile still there frozen on the screens, paralyzed Donnie forcing him to gawk back at it.

His mind raced and he couldn't believe what he was seeing and how no one at the moment saw this thing behind April...

Seconds turn to minutes as he swore minutes turn into hours, he didn't know how long he was standing there, but suddenly with no warning the computer screen started to flicker.

The fear filled him as he swore he caught a flash of that repetitive symbol before the screens went back to normal, with no shadows and anything of the ordinary.

The angle was back to normal, capturing only the living room and lab door like it should have been in the first place.

The dread rising inside, he rushed forward, then click the close button on the window, he didn't want to risk seeing that horrifying play through again, once was enough for him.

 _(Does this mean...)_ He stared blankly at the screens knowing all too well it wasn't that easy after all, this nightmare unfolding wasn't caused by the mutagen.

He was right, he did miss something, though what that was, wasn't clear of yet.

To his dismay yet again, he was back to square one; what is the reason for all these games and what was behind all of this? Why is this thing taunting him?

What had he done to even catch its attention?

Worse off, how far was this thing going to go, to what end? When he goes insane? A person he loves is harmed by it or by his own madness?

The piling up question swarming in his head, he felt dizzy and sick in the stomach until he reminded himself it wasn't just taunting him!

It was physically touching April, if it wasn't, either way, it was indicating she wasn't safe from it either, now. It declared it had escalated from an isolated set of events and it will go after anyone that is close to him.

 _(What if... OH_ SHELL _!)_ Donnie put his weapon away in his holster, running for the door and bolting through the lair alarming Raph that was coming out of the kitchen with a glass of milk.

“Yo, Don where is the fire?” Raph asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

“Sorry Raph no time to talk, I'm going to April's place,” Donnie blurred out clicking on the elevator door as he could tell his brother was now concerned.

“Is something wrong? Is she in danger?” Raph asked hastily.

_(I can't let him know the truth, it will take too long to explain if he would even take me seriously.)_

Donnie shook his head, “No, no, I just figured out a great way we can improve our project and I fear if I don't tell her right away, I might forget the important details behind it.” he paused, then added, to make sure this was concrete, that would dispel any suspicions from Raphael, “I want to tell her in person for it's easier to explain than just talking on the phone.”

Lying about what, the third or was it the fourth time that night, the door open and he entered.

He turned around to witness Raph shrugging it off and rolling his eyes in annoyance that Donnie made it seem like something was seriously wrong, then just some geeking out moment.

Raph then continued walking towards his room as the elevator's door shut.

Once the door was closed Donnie breathed in heavily in vain, he wanted to say yes to Raph so badly, yet his brother wouldn't understand and he wished it was Mikey that came around instead. At least with him, he wouldn't have been questioned making delays and in the end, he would not be doing this on his own.

When the elevator finally reached the garaged floor, Donnie rushed out and headed for the spare motorcycle that Raph didn't claim and didn't care if anyone used as long his own baby wasn't defiled.

In a matter of seconds, he was riding down the street towards April's store, wondering if he should try to ring her up, or would that put her in danger?

Deciding he was best to get there with no delays, he avoided all traffic lights and travelled the quickest path to her house, hoping she wasn't in grave danger already.

 

* * *

 

There was a knocking at her door, making the female question who was disturbing her this time of night. She closed her fridge heading towards it, a bit curious about who it could be.

It was past nine and she was planning to jump into her comfortable PJs and find some mystery on the TV while she enjoyed some chocolate ice cream.

With movie night cut short and Leo's explanation, it had to be cancelled due for a substance from Donnie's lab somehow manage to be in the dojo not locked away as it should be, her safety was in question.

She wanted to ask Leo what it was, but how he was acting, she could tell he was irritated. Was his anger towards Donnie?

Did Donnie do something he shouldn't have?

Which sadly she could see so, he did get carried away at times, but not in a way to endanger anyone's life, which worried her all the more.

“I'm coming,” April told the impatient person at her door.

Before daring to open it, knowing all too well that wasn't a wise to open it until she had an idea who might be on the other side, she peeked through the eye-hole seeing... Donnie?

Unlocking the deadbolt quickly and the chain lock, April opened the door, seeing the pasty white turtle standing there breathing heavily as if he was running.

“Donnie?” April started as he passed by her and entered the apartment as if he was expecting someone to be there other than her.

She gave him an odd look and then sighed, “Just come in?”

With the door closed behind her, she waited in silence for Donnie to finally direct his focus on her.

“Donnie is something wrong?” she insisted.

“Oh... no, of course not, it's nothing serious I assure you, I was just seeing if you were having any electrical issues,” Donnie told her with a straight face.

“No... Donnie are you okay, you seemed stressed and it's past nine,” April stated, he wasn't the type to act like this.

Chuckling lightly Donnie placed his hand on his head, “Sorry April, I didn't mean to worry you, I was having issues in the lair and wondered if you were having the same to determine what could be the cause.”

“Does it have to do with whatever happened tonight?” April asked walking pass him. She grabbed her kettle from its place and filled it with fresh water.

Meanwhile, Donnie took a seat on the island chair watching her cautiously.

“Part of it,” he trailed off, “So you haven't had anything odd, like flickering lights, creaking or sounds that,” Donnie strained to continue trying not to alarm her, “that might mistake as voices?”

April turned the water off suddenly, flashing a look at him with a dumbfounded expression on her face. “No... why are you asking about voices?

That doesn't sound like anything that would be related to electrical issues.”

She had to point that out since he was coming across this was the real issue he is having, hearing some at the lair. Was he hearing things, was he still ill?

Shrugging Donnie hesitated uncertain how to continue this conversation without her coming up with wild conclusions if she hasn't already.

He could tell her scent was now strongly spice with concern and the way she looked at him with those green eyes, he knew it was over what he asked.

He needed to deal with this gently not to turn this into there is something wrong with him, nor come across the possibility she might have something haunting her too.

Though he feared the most that she would come to the conclusion he was still sick and alert his brothers.

“Not necessary April, certain pitches of buzzing and white noise heard by the naked ear can be mistakenly interpreted by the brain as speaking or whispering, as other elements can do the same. I'm just making sure nothing of the sorts is going on here, and if so I know it must be with my wiring back home,” Donnie sighed, telling half the truth, more he meant by wiring at home meaning all incidences are related to the lair and not have expanded to April's home as well.

April bit her lip examining him and nodded, taking his explanation to heart and letting go her worries that he was, in fact, hearing things. She knew Donnie would never lie to her or withhold the truth, trusting her even with subjects others would judge him for.

“Huh... I have to admit,” April started, placing the kettle on the stove and grabbing two cups, “That is one interesting way you asked, for a sec there I thought you were asking me if my place is haunted. I expect Mikey to come up with something like that, not you.” April laughed as Donnie joined softly, trying to hide his nervousness.

_(The deeper I go the crazier I believe I am becoming... and a liar I'm being made into... I swear no one would believe me, in the end...)_

“Yeah,” Donnie once again chuckled rubbing the back of his head, “I was trying to figure out a way to ask and of course it sounded better in my head than out loud. Sorry about that April... So not even flashing lights?” he watched her think and continued before she could answer, “You appear a bit hesitant on that one?”

“Well,” April pressed tightly her lip and crossed her arms, contemplating how to answer his question, “I have been having some issues with the one light down in the basement. I have changed the light bulb many times and had an electrician--” she paused, seeing the hurt in Donnie's eyes that she didn't ask him to check it out first. “Sorry Donnie you were sick at the time and it was driving me nuts.”

“Oh?” Donnie said quickly peaked in interest, more so on the timing of the light problem.

“The electrician told me my wiring is fine and the issue at hand could be the fact this is an old building. Obviously, he didn't have an answer or a clue where to start falling to one of the oldest reasons in the book. Though I have to admit he did state he was stumped and couldn't do anymore. Which wasn't helpful at all.”

“Is the light still not working?” Donnie inquired, watching the kettle started to steam, letting out a high pitch scream. April quickly took it off pouring into the two cups that she had placed tea bags in.

“Unfortunately,” April sighed, “I had...”

“April?” Donnie looked at her, he could see she was hiding something.

“It's nothing Donnie,” she smiled, then suddenly twitched her shoulder like something was bothering her.

Letting the basement conversation go for a moment, he moved to another pressing matter, “April is there something wrong with your shoulder? I noticed in the lair during the movie you kept moving it, rotating your shoulder blade like it was hurting or irritated.”

“There is nothing wrong with it, just a bit itchy, I think my laundry detergent could be the problem,” April assured him.

Donnie didn't take this lightly and got to his feet right away, moving around the counter towards her, “Can I take a look at it? To see if it serious or not and if you might need to see a doctor?” he offered as she sighed in defeat and turned around.

“Donnie its probably just irritated,” she complained.

“Even so April, it's not a bad thing to get a second opinion or at least a better look. Trying to see it in the mirror isn't that simple to do and like I said I can determine how bad it is, or if you need to use some lotion to soothe it.”

Moving his hand at her collar he held onto it and pulled it down revealing her shoulder blade.

His face turned white and his breath escaped him as he could see how irritated it was and worse it was blistering a bit as if she was burned.

To his horror, the shape of the burn was similar to the symbol, not quite, yet looked like it was trying to be. Letting go of her shirt he gulped as she tilted her head at him, noticing his anxiety that was building.

“Donnie, what is wrong?” April asked fearfully.

“April I think you should go to the emerge and get it checked, you might need some antibiotics,” Donnie started unsure if that would help or be a wise idea.

What if someone there notices the odd shape it was making and start asking questions?

Then again, it might be a good idea for her to see one, while in her absence, he can take the time to search her building for any evidence that thing was here as well.

“It's that bad?” April questioned him.

“It's very swollen April,” Donnie started, then continue quickly seeing her questioning eyes, “and don't worry, I know what your thinking, it has nothing to do what happened in the dojo or I would've assisted you to come to my lab instead.”

“Okay, I guess I should go get dressed,” April headed towards her room, then paused, “Do you think it's an allergic reaction to my laundry soap?”

Donnie shrugged, “Possible, either way, you should get it checked out to see if it is or not. Maybe you should put something on that hasn't been recently washed just in case.”

Nodding April vanished into her room, closing the door behind her.

Once she was out of his sight Donnie held his breath as his body shook. How was this possible?

How could she have that symbol forming on her skin?

Did that thing do something to her or was he just seeing things in his own fearful delusions?

Either way with her going to a doctor could answer that question as he still had an eerie feeling to go see what was going on in the basement.

It could be a dead end, or it could shed some answers, since no matter what he couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over with after all and it just truly begun whatever this maybe...

 

* * *

 

TBC...


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...
> 
> Disclaimer: TMNT isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.  
> Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...  
> Rate: T  
> (TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)

**  
** ****

* * *

It was moments after Donnie's arrival and insisting her to go see a doctor, April was finally dressed to go out, with her purse over her one shoulder, she exited her apartment heading down the stairs where Donnie was waiting for her with his tools.

"Donnie?" April questioned pointing to his tools that he left at her place for repairs.

"While you go to the hospital, I figure I should take the moment to investigate your lighting problem," he motioned to the stairs that led to the basement.

"But its almost ten..." she muttered worrisomely.

"Don't worry I already talked to Leo and he is fine with me repairing your light. Besides what better moment than when your not home, since I will have to cut the power," Donnie explained with a smile.

"I... guess that make sense," she said hesitantly with a heavy sigh along with it, "Donnie please don't strain yourself..."

"I will be fine, now go and get that rash checked," he insisted escorting her to the door, "I will be here when you get back and trust me when I say that it's no trouble."

April once again let out a sigh before exiting the building, as he stood there for a moment watching her make sure she didn't change her mind.

When he could hear the car start in the distance and the sounds of her driving off he was certain she wouldn't back up now, giving him the time to investigate.

There was a lightness in his heart that she was gone and he didn't have to worry about her, it was now he let out his own heavy breaths.

Unfortunately, a part of him felt bad to insist her to go to the hospital so late at night, however, he just didn't want her there in case something went down.

Reluctantly he dragged himself away from the open door closing it behind him, facing the empty building.

To his dismay either due to his imagination or fears the air became dense and he started to wonder if this was the right idea to go about this alone.

Was there danger lurking below? His head sluggishly turned towards the stairway and he felt a rush of panic course through his body. Maybe he should wait until the morning?

_(No, I can't chicken out now! It touched her and what if it had spread here too? That light fixture issue could be a sign something is wrong or nothing at all.)_

He closed his eyes contemplating the situation at hand, he owed her so much and cared for her, to just turn his shell away.

If he can figure out if there is any danger lingering around here he would sleep better knowing there isn't and she wasn't in danger.

If events turn to the conclusion she isn't safe, he can start putting a strategy into motion to keep her from any more harm.

_(I can do this! It's just a simple wire test. All I need to do is go down there, check the wiring, find the issue and solve it. Nothing to it, the technician probably just gave up not bothering since the answer wasn't staring at him in the face. I can have it fixed in ten minutes tops.)_  
  
With his mindset and his courage back, he bravely walked towards the basement entrance. He was a turtle on a mission and nothing was going to scare him away!

_(It could just be nothing, I could be just reading into things, and she is safe here. Then I just have to figure out what is going on at home only.)_  
  
His hand moved towards the light switch beside him, before the first step to descend into the basement.

He flicked it on with a frown when the light did not bother to respond.

The action was repeated, flicking up and down a few times until he was confident another attempt wasn't going to make the light to come on for him. Even if he truly wished it would.

"Of course..." he mumbled sourly to himself, warily staring into the thick gloom below.

Why did he pep talk himself to think this was going to be a simple task?

Sadly, at the moment part of him hope there was something afoot over the annoyance and creepy scenario before him, to make this seem less pathetic, as the other part said your damn crazy wanting this to actually be anything other than just a faulty lighting.

There is no reason to stand around playing with the switch anymore, to delay the inevitable of going downstairs, he took out his trusty flashlight and unconsciously shifted his tool bag on his shoulder all the while building up that once again fleeting courage of his to make the first step.

_(I really need to get my game on here, and stop hesitating, it's only making this worse... And I don't even have Mikey here, to bring along that extra fear factor and wild imagination! How sad is this?)_  
  
He started out slowly to be on the cautious side, placing his hand on the railing, absorbing the cool wood against his skin.

The staircase was shrouded in darkness, even with the flashlight it appeared noneffective against the loom that seemed impenetrable.

This didn't help to fight off the rising waves of fear creeping up his legs and clawing his shoulders to reach his brain.

This sensation he was witnessing firsthand was one reason he couldn't play those horror games Mikey always wanted him to watch or take part.

He couldn't handle the idea of being chased as you do in the games, or the unexpected jump scares that loomed in every corner.

The idea of unable to fight and only can run and hide made him feel weak and defenseless and truth it terrified him, regardless if it was a game.

The point of those games was to pray on fear and weakness by tossing you into situations where you are trapped.

His heart always was racing when he was forced to watch and his nerves would be trembling by the end of the ordeal, even if he wasn't the one playing.

Now he wished he took more time to torment himself with those games to build some immunity to such scary scenarios as this one was starting to play out as.

"Well, this is cheery, so happy Mikey isn't here," he mumbled miserably to focus his mind from wandering in the darkness.

Although he dared to say point out to be alone was better for him, part of him sort of longing for his brother to be there, even the trails of jokes that would spew out of his mouth would be a welcoming change of atmosphere.

The company on its own level was what he wanted the most.

"I can't keep hesitating," he noticed he hadn't taken another step since the first, "what if April is in danger?" he whimpered taking the next step.

_(She was acting so odd, fearful even, did something she couldn't explain happened to her? She always has been one to be strong and I wouldn't put it past her from hiding something to avoid being seen as crazy or overly imaginative. She could have just pushed it to the side looking for a rational explanation. Even so, whatever it was, it startled her to a point.)_  
  
He took his next step, assuming to feel the wooden step, yet there was only the dead air.

His body jerked forward with all balance gone along with the loss of his grip on the railing, that he swore just vanished under his touch, his body plummeted downward.

With quick reflexes, he flipped and prepared for a drop for such a height, just to be shocked by hitting the cement floor sooner than he anticipated.

There was some luck on his side with his landing on his feet, not his head, his toes crunched in, feeling the cement under them in confusion, as he flashed his head back towards the stairs in awe.

_(Wait a minute, I just started to walk down the stairs, how can I be at the bottom so soon and how did I drop?)_  
  
He gawked towards the stairs, retracing the event and no matter how many times he let it run through his head, it didn't add up.

The distance should have been greater if he did fall from the top, yet it was like he fell from the last steps... Where did the other steps go?

Then the other question plagued him, what happened to the railing?

He looked down at his hand, studying it under his light.

One minute he had a firm grip on the railing, then next it was like it vanished and he was just holding air.

Then again, he looked up, blinking at the stairs, it was like the staircase in whole ceased to exist for a split second causing him to fall.

The more he tried to make heads and tails of this, it only puzzled him further.

It was to the point he just gave up and took a deep breath, pushing the craziness of this to the side.

His perception was now compromised and he knew if he took another second on this one little problem, he would never figure out what was it that bothered April in that room.

_(Worry about this later, don't set yourself up more to fail.)_  
  
"Just keep it together Donnie, your barely scratched the surface of what is going on and you're stumped on a set of stairs?" he muttered to himself.

He turned away from the stairs, casting his torch on the wall beside him, directing it towards the location of the light switch that was connected to the one at the top of the stairs.

When he came across it, he blinked at his sadden state very ashamed.

He set himself up, spooking himself that led to all the events up to now, first not able to turn on the light, then making the incident on the stairs mysterious than just him being lost in thought and losing track of how many steps he took, now to find out this switch wasn't turned off right.

Who used it last downstairs didn't flick it correctly, which would make the other not work properly.

"No wonder it wasn't working," Donnie grumbled annoyed, he had enough stuff happening to him to have silly explainable things like this rattle his chains.

The day's events were eerie and creepy as it was, not to have this atmosphere to add to the mix.

He was just grasping at straws, maybe he never heard the voice and it was his exhaustion that was playing games with his mind.

Should he just go home and get some sleep and come back to this with a clear mind?

_(No, I should just get this over with, no more scaring myself, just look at her faulty wiring and get it fixed and go home. I should hurry up though, I don't want to be up all night and face Leo's wrath.)_  
  
He canted his head at the light switch that had its switch stuck in the middle, which only confused the wiring so if someone tried to turn on the light upstairs it wouldn't respond, not able to make a complete connection.

"There is no reason to keep standing here in the dark," Donnie told himself, flipping the light switch.

The hanging light behind him crackled and popped then it chased the darkness away. Donnie turned his torch off and spun around quickly to make his way towards the room.

Suddenly his heart jumped into his throat as he let out a horrified shriek, retreating back quickly, slamming his shell into the wall.

His eyes widen, he felt dizzy on how much he was hyperventilating staring at something he swore wasn't there a moment ago.

It glared back at him with hollow, hungry eyes, piercing into his soul as its faceless features sum him up. Its still figure frozen in a stance, only waiting for him to make the first move, with its hand reaching out to grab his green throat to cease all life in him.

He couldn't move a muscle, even when his brain told him to do so, he swallowed the lump in his throat, unable to revert his eyes from it, as he felt like he was being pulled into the abyss.

Looking away would be a worse fate, he was sure of. Then a voice came, calling to him like a siren's call. Was it her demonic voice charming him? Had she really found her way here too?

The call once again beckoned him, louder than before, pounding into his ears, as suddenly a hand that came from the opposite direction clenched his shoulder.

With another scream bellowing deep from his belly, he whipped his head towards the intruder that dared to touch him only to have the individual in question scream in return.

The flash of orange finally came into view and Donnie started to shudder gawking at his baby brother, who in turn he scared the shell out off.

Mikey finally stopped his screaming gasping for air and pushed away the urge to retreat up the stairs, for what reason he wasn't sure of yet, forcing himself to focus on his brother who was panting.

"Dude, what the shell..." Mikey whispered, taking a few deep breaths, "Why did you scream? And why are you playing with April's mannequin?" Mikey now was serious, looking at the mannequin with a shudder.

"Mannequin?" Donnie questioned. He turned his head towards the figure that scared him, it finally came to view, or was it his mind wasn't as cloudy anymore seeing what it truly was?

_(It was a mannequin? But that wasn't what I saw, what was it that I saw?)_  
  
He reflected back and couldn't comprehend why he thought this plastic doll was something else.

Deep down he couldn't recall what he had mistaken this object for, only that it terrorized him, shaking his reality.

Oddly, it was standing there with its hand out as almost to offer something, there was nothing out of the ordinary about it, and Donnie had seen the same model throughout the shop.

He recalled helping April some time back cleaning up the front store, they had stored a few down here, though not in the open as this one was placed.

"It startled me..." Donnie swiftly went into the defense, embarrassed that it did so. How could he face anyone with this over his head, that he was scared by a plastic doll of all things?

"Did it move?" Mikey asked warily, being serious since considering all the bizarre events so far he wouldn't dare not consider that as a possibility, as he took a few steps back.

Like shell he was going to take any chances, especially noticing that Donnie was white as a ghost and his nerves were shot.

"No," Donnie responded, "it just surprised me since I didn't notice it before I turned on the light..." he started to explain then saw the questionable look from his kid brother, then he quickly explained how the lights weren't working.

Adding in it was a natural response to the circumstances at hand.

"Sure it is," Mikey mumbled, not seeing it the same way as Donnie had explained.

"Sooo... bro," he shifted his feet, "why are you down here and where is Ape?" Mikey asked taking a quick look around.

Donnie shrugged going into yet another explanation, that took a few minutes.

"Is she okay?" Mikey questioned in concern.

"She seems fine, I... just..." Donnie stuttered since he never explained the videotape or that thing touching April.

"Donnie," Mikey said, raising an eyebrow and moving in closer to study him. "What are you hiding?" he said flatly, eyes locking onto Donnie's.

"Nothing," Donnie smiled sheepishly, scratching his head.

"Dude!" Mikey puffed up, "Don't play games, that is my department and you suck at it."

Donnie let out a deep sigh in defeat, letting his arms flop to his side.

There was no way he could lie to Mikey, he had done so too many times to everyone else in his life that night, besides, there was no way in hell he could even keep this from him.

In the end he knew it was best to just to get it over with, "After everything that went down in the lair, I was checking the tapes before the part where you had your... encounter with that thing... I... I..."

"You what, what did you see?" Mikey pressed his chest against Donnie's, beak to beak to show Donnie he had no choice to spill the beans.

"I saw something touch April in the same place as her rash is now, and also the same area in my dream... nightmare... that imposter had that symbol on the shoulder too," Donnie fell silent.

"You think it might still be around? So it's connection wasn't to the mutagen as we believed it could be?"

"I don't know what is going on," Donnie admitted fearfully.

"Donnie," Mikey hugged his brother tightly, who obviously needed the contact, "It will be okay bro, so let me guess you're down here for a reason?"

Donnie let his tense body submit to his brother's hold, resting his forehead on his shoulder, "I don't know if I do or I'm chasing a white rabbit. Before telling April to go to the hospital, she acted off, when I asked if anything odd was going on."

"You told her?" Mikey jumped, moving back to see Donnie's face.

"No, I made an excuse for my questions, but she seemed like she was hiding something."

"You think some explanation could be down here, or a clue?"

"I believe so. She said something on the line, that she was having issues with the electricity in one of the rooms, that never had problems before. The electrician couldn't find anything, so maybe it has something to do with what is going on?"

"Well then let's look," Mikey smiled deeply, showing some bravery, even though he was scared.

"Yes, let's do so," Donnie nodded slowly going around the mannequin. He was unwilling to touch it as he joined his brother, heading forward, then right around a corner towards the door to the storage room.

It was the room he believed the lights were having issues since the other she didn't use as much.

They both stood before the door, not daring to take the first step.

"Ladies first," Mikey gestured cheekily getting a scuff from Donnie.

"Should be chicken first and you entering... And" Donnie snapped his head at Mikey narrowing his eyes, "For me going first, isn't me admitting I think I'm a girl or anything on that line. You understand?"

"Oh of course not," Mikey grinned, snickering when Donnie turn his shell to him, "Although I did say-"

"Mikey!" Donnie growled entering the room.

"Fine, fine bro. Sorry, just joking," Mikey started, then fell silent as he entered the room himself.

"I know, it makes you feel a bit more at ease," Donnie sighed, feeling the heaviness in the room.

The air felt thicker in here than the rest of the basement or the building at that.

There was something in it, that made the hair, if they had any, on the back of the neck to stick up.

"Donnie, I don't like this," Mikey whimpered, casting his gaze around as if any moment something was going to jump out and bite him.

"It's probably our imaginations Mikey, we are all worked up with everything that has happened, that we are feeling overwhelmed and expecting something else to take part," Donnie explained doubtfully.

_(Great Donnie, just tell your baby brother that it's all in his head. When you know it isn't and feel just as spooked out as he. Then again, what are you to do?)_  
  
"Thanks for trying bro," Mikey answered him, "Let's just hurry?"

"Yeah, agree." He moved towards the wall, there was a panel there that had the main connections for the lights in this room, not just that, it also directs power to the other storage room on the main floor.

That was the part he was complex over if this room was having power issues the main floor room would too.

"I will need to do a diagnostic on the wires here Mikey," Donnie called over his shoulder. He removed the panel of the box and started to examine its condition.

To his dismay everything seemed normal, no burnt wires or indication, there is anything abnormal.

"Sure bro, please take your time," Mikey sarcastically told him.

The kid brother looked around the room, since staying in one spot wasn't his strongest feature.

There were boxes here and there with some items either wrapped in plastic or covered with material to protect them. In normal circumstances, this room didn't bother him any other day.

Sure the air and creepy icy feeling crawling over his skin put him on edge, however, he had to admit the worse was that light overhead, it was buzzing and flickering now and then, sending chills up his spine.

The rest was normal being a damp basement, yet that light just felt wrong.

Was it due to the fact, Donnie was checking the wiring that it was acting in that manner, or something more sinister going on?

Mikey glanced at his brother's shell and then moaned, wishing this was over and he could be in his warm bed reading a comic.

Why was he here again?

That only made him sigh more when Raph made fun of Donnie rushing out like the lair was going to blow up, yet it was over he wanted to talk to April about their stupid project, Mikey knew something was up.

Yet he didn't tell Raph that, nor Leo, who question him for leaving so late. He made an excuse of his own, saying he wanted to see April too, for he missed her and she didn't stay long enough, and why should Donnie get her all to himself?

Believe it or not, Leo bought it, that part for Mikey did make him happy it was that easy, but at the same time, he also felt disappointed that Leo would think he was that much of an attention hog.

"I'm almost done here," Donnie announced finally.

"Okay..." Mikey leaned against a box, then tilted his head to his left seeing something of interest.

Standing up straight he turned to the far wall, across from him.

There was this tall object with a very dusty sheet covering it.

Biting his lip, he stared at the large mysterious object, slowly he went towards it, and oddly every fiber in his body screamed at him not to take another step.

Something powerful was pulling him to it, and no matter how much he fought it, a curiosity consumed him.

Now before the object, he understood that heavy feeling that was poisoning this room was coming from it. His hand slowly reached up, as the voice in his head scream 'Don't!'.

"Mikey, I'm done," Donnie placed the cover back, turning around seeing his brother through the stacked boxes before him. His brother was staring in a daze at something.

"Mikey, I said I am done."

His brother not responding to his calling, he was going to go to him, however, he stopped suddenly, as a ringing sound invaded his head.

It was so loud it hurt like hell and made him want to vomit, quickly Donnie retreated back to the wall he was close to, gasping, trying to get a hold of himself.

When he recovered, he looked up at his brother who in turn mysteriously was not phased by it, and kept staring at something in front of him.

_(What is he looking at, why do I feel like I shouldn't look at it? Look at what?)_  
  
Searching his side of the room, he came aware he was able to go around, instead forward towards Mikey and use the boxes as cover.

Moving to the side inwards instead of towards the exit, he found he wasn't feeling ill and now could see what Mikey was hypnotized by.

_(A mirror?)_  
  
It was a vintage mirror and from what area he wasn't sure of.

It was very old, what he could tell it has been fixed up a few times as there was some evidence.

Where he stood, he could see Mikey's reflection and the room, with the one exception of himself due to the angle he was on and the boxes beside him.

The strong feeling before was a warning to not let the mirror to capture his reflection.

Why he felt that way yet, Donnie didn't question the feeling, moving to the side more to see Mikey fully.

He was just at a dead stare, full space cadet and something about his eyes were giving Donnie chills. It was like they were losing life.

"Mikey?" Donnie called to him desperately.

When Mikey didn't respond Donnie found something on the nearby shelf chucking at Mikey's head, only to have the object hit his brother dead on, however, he was unresponsive.

_(Shell, luckily I didn't throw anything that could hurt him. What is wrong with him?)_  
  
In a loss, Donnie crossed his arms, then braved it by taking a step forward only to have his head buzz like crazy, it was louder this time and he lost his balance, as he fell backward into the shelf.

Hissing from the pain from his head and how hard he slammed his arm into the shelf's side, Donnie took some deep breaths to figure this out.

He couldn't get in front of it, as if something or was it his own self-preservation instincts kicking in?

The buzzing could be an alarm that his psyche could be warning him he better not dare to go in front of that mirror and, as Mikey would put it if he was talking that is, would quote, become a zombie.

_(I need to get him away from the mirror... OH wait, what if I just go beside it and turn it away from Mikey?)_  
  
Donnie took a few more deep breaths walking to the mirror from the side.

Inches away from approaching the back, a voice made him yelp as he flashed a horrified look towards the door. There in clear view was April standing there with a baffled expression on her face.

"What are you two doing?" she asked.

Before Donnie could respond, Mikey unexpectedly snapped out of his daze and turned around quickly at her in a cloud of confusion, "I didn't break anything!" he went straight for the plea of mercy with the white flag.

"I hope not," April chuckled, "Well, I guess you have the light working Donnie, it's not flickering anymore." April pointed to the top light as Donnie still couldn't shake the feeling he should avoid the front of the mirror and move to the side instead.

"Oh dude, when did you do that?" Mikey asked, not turning towards Donnie.

"A second ago," Donnie said slowly, then bit his lip not to alarm April, "Mikey are you feeling okay?"

"Sure, why?"

"Oh nothing, you were complaining how tired you were that is all," Donnie quickly explained moving further away from the mirror.

When he was in the spot where he could see its surface without being in its reflection, he froze seeing the image in the mirror.

He could see Mikey, the room, the door to the room that was wide open... yet no April! She wasn't reflected in the mirror!

"If you two are done, why don't you come upstairs for a cup of tea, I also have some cookies?" April offered and the cookies were more for Mikey really.

"Oh, sorry April, we should get back home," Donnie said quickly trying to figure out how he was to get out of the room without going in front of the mirror.

He shifted his feet, then felt something as he looked down, then the solution hit him.

When he entered the room, he never noticed any mirror, only the inventory of boxes, plastic wrap and sheets.

The loose sheet that was beside his foot must have been covering the mirror until Mikey removed it.

Donnie snatched it up quickly throwing it over the mirror to cover it up.

"Are you sure Donatello?"

"Unfortunately April. It's late and Leo will worry, right Mikey," Donnie patted Mikey on the shoulder, feeling at ease that the mirror was covered. Mikey looked at him, then April and then nodded.

"Donnie is right, we need to go home. How about tomorrow?" Mikey said with a smile, wanting those cookies.

"That sounds good, you guys know your way out, I'm going to head upstairs," April turned around to leave until she paused when Donnie asked something out of the blue.

He didn't know why he asked her this, but he was complied to, "April, did you change your shirt?"

_(She was wearing her purple shirt when she left, yet now a yellow blouse.)_  
  
"Huh?" April looked over her shoulder at him, then at her shirt, "Oh, yes, when I got home from the hospital, I had to change it, since some guy spilled his pop all over me in the emerge."

"Oh... Oh!" Donnie had totally forgotten about that part, "How did it go at the hospital?"

"The doctor said it was just a rash," April yawned, "Good night guys."

"Night April," both turtles said the same time.

Donnie did not leave right after her, instead stayed put waiting until he could hear April's footsteps disappeared beyond the stairs.

Once he couldn't hear her anymore, he grabbed Mikey's shoulder quickly, "Mikey what happened?" Donnie asked him very concerned.

"I... I don't..." Mikey blinked at him, unsure what to say, as the euphoria suddenly worn off and he knew something was wrong again snapping back into reality.

"You don't remember you were staring at a mirror very creepily?" Donnie asked.

Mikey shook his head, his face was turning white.

"We need to get you home and I need to do tests on you right away," Donnie told Mikey, taking his hand to lead his brother out of the room.

"What about April?" Mikey asked.

"I... don't know right now," Donnie guilty admitted, "For now let me see if you're okay, then we will talk about her."

"What if she is in trouble?" Mikey jerked his hand away.

Turning towards his brother Donnie could see the worry in his eyes, "Mikey, I can't say she is or not, but for now, you are. I tried to get your attention and you weren't responding to me or anything. It was like... I... Let's leave please."

"Donnie?" Mikey tilted his head.

"Mikey, I will explain why later, please," Donnie begged. Yes, he cared about her, but something told him that wasn't her and staying here would put April in danger, he just knew it deep down.

"Okay," Mikey trusted him, letting Donnie lead the way again. Walking out of the room, Donnie paused as he looked towards where he last saw the mannequin that was not standing there anymore.

"Dude, didn't we leave the mannequin there? Did April move it?" Mikey pressed his plastron against Donnie's shell.

Donnie took a sharp gulp, as his eyes trailed towards the other side of the room's corner.

The mannequin was now there, somehow hovered to the ground in a fetal position covering its eyes.

Unfortunately for him, not only that odd displacement was disturbing, he also came aware that the dreadful heavy feeling of the storage room had spread out here too, making this whole scenario unbearable.

It didn't take much to realize Mikey now saw it too, as Donnie could feel his shell vibrating. Donnie wanted to hide in his shell and he would have if it wasn't for the more powerful feeling taking him over.

To protect his little brother.

"Mikey lets slowly head towards the stairs, I will keep an eye on it and you look where we are going?" Donnie order, hearing a whimper as an answer.

Sluggishly they both moved towards the stairs as Donnie kept an eye on the mannequin.

There was now another element at play that his body shivered in fear, he swore he could hear crying from the direction of the mannequin.

_(Is it crying? How is that possible? Why do I feel sorry for it? What is going on?)_  
  
Reaching the stairs, Mikey took the lead helping Donnie so he didn't trip on the steps. It was almost halfway up the stairs, Donnie whispered, "Mikey on the next step, run for it. I will be right behind you and let's just leave the building okay?"

"No complaints here," Mikey answered in a low whine.

"One," Donnie raised his foot, he knew once he made this step he wouldn't have his sights on the mannequin and if it moves, he just didn't want to think of it. "Two," he took a breath, ready to turn quickly, on "THREE!"

He dashed up the stairs on Mikey's tail, then heading down the short hallway, following his brother to the door.

Donnie swore he could hear shifting behind him and the distinct sounds of plastic threshing against wood as if something was chasing them.

The loud echoes of sobbing and sorrow bounced off the walls, making both turtles hurry their pace, engulfed in their fear. Even so, neither dared to look at what was making those sounds.

Mikey finally reached the door to the outside, opening up with ease and leaping out of the cursed building with Donnie closely behind. Everything suddenly shifted when Donnie's foot was over the threshold.

The sounds of clinking footsteps stopped with the crying and Donnie did too, finally looking back into the building to witness the horrors.

However, that wasn't the case, he couldn't see anything, everything was now still and oddly the heavy feeling was gone as well, as if the place was at peace once again, with him gone...

* * *

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...
> 
> Disclaimer: TMNT isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.  
> Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...  
> Rate: T  
> (TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)

**  
** ****

* * *

He sift through the piles of papers that were just printed, they contained the data on every test he could think of performing. Starting with the insignificant, towards the more serious tests he was able to conduct on his brother with the equipment he had at his disposal.   
  
Though the search was broad he couldn't count one out. For the past three hours, he had drawn blood from his baby brother, forcing the now tired turtle to take physicals to test his reflexes, and went as far as making Mikey do IQ tests to see how he was processing facts.   
  
If there was a test that could be done he done so, to the point Mikey considered Donnie was being a tad bit paranoid, however, he didn't voice that, since after the tale he was told about the mirror and him.   
  
No matter how hard he tried to recall those moments, the young turtle couldn't remember even looking at a mirror, nor staring at it either.   
  
His memories were blank, unfinished, from the point he felt there was something he needed to see, which must have been the mirror and then suddenly he was facing the door pleading to April he wasn't guilty.   
  
He did admit at that point of time he oddly felt amazingly great, considering under the circumstances, and forgot about why he was there or the fact the place had that creepy vibe.   
  
It wasn't until April left the room that he snapped back to reality and was clouded with confusion on why he was acting everything was sunshine and rainbows.   
  
“I see nothing here either,” Donnie paused, with the hopeless frustration consuming him, he crumpled the page tossing it in the can and then took another mouth full of coffee.  
  
“Whoa, whoa there Donnie-boy, ease up on the caffeine intake,” Mikey warned him, knowing his brother was resorting to the drink to ease his nerves.   
  
“Mikey, I can't find anything wrong with you!”  
  
“And you make it sound like that's a bad thing...” Mikey frowned.  
  
“That,” Donnie let out a sigh pinching between his eyes, as he massaged the area, “isn't what I'm getting at. You think there would be something amiss, something off from what happened to you, yet there is nothing and it,” he paused, reopening his eyes and stared into those baby blues, “really worries me that I haven't found, say a slight chemical unbalance even... Anything at least to prove that event did occur and it's not serious after all.”  
  
“I would think finding nothing would also say I'm okay,” Mikey said softly, knowing where Donnie was coming from.  
  
“I know,” he sat down, then neatly jogged the papers placing them to the side, “It would just make me feel at ease to find something minimal then nothing. Nothing in this bizarre circumstances could very well mean I can't conduct the correct tests to accumulate any true results. All I know the equipment at hand has no way to diagnose or detect what could had or have an effect over you.”  
  
“Dude,” Mikey came up beside him, placing a warm hand on Donnie's shoulder. Donnie's face tilted to the side to take comfort from the touch as his brother smiled sweetly and continued, “I'm fine and I think I know how to cheer you up and maybe give you some peace of mind.”  
  
A light chuckle came from Donnie as he canted his head up, “How, pray tell, do you figure you will manage that?”  
  
“Easy bro, this,” Mikey placed the tablet he was playing during the duration of the testing when he wasn't required to focus to perform. The tablet flat on the desk Mikey swiped the lock off showing a website that made Donnie's jaw drop in astonishment.  
  
“I thought you were playing games,” Donnie started getting a huff from Mikey in return for the insult.  
  
“Dude, I'm more than just a pretty face and talented fingers,” Mikey boasted, then enlarge the image.  
  
Donnie nodded in amazement, “It's the exact mirror in April's basement. Mikey, how did you?”  
  
“We are dealing with the supernatural of course, so I figure to check out some good sites I know of, where do you think I get my inspiration for the campfire horrors?”  
  
“Well, that would explain the stories you come up with, but the chance you finding this...”  
  
“Not just that dude,” Mikey stood tall and proud of himself, swooping the tablet up then started to click away. Suddenly the printer came creaking to life, printing page after page, as Donnie took each one skimming through the information. Mikey not only found one image of the mirror, but stories and tales about it. Some could be just fiction, even so, with how deep they were in, they couldn't be overlooked, something very might well hold some truth.  
  
“You did all this Mike,” Donnie peered up from the pages, feeling proud of his little brother. Donnie has never seen him step up to meet the challenged with such achievements as he has done so here and the amazing part was how much Mikey was glowing for doing this research.  
  
“Ah, it was nothing,” Mikey chuckled embarrassingly for once.  
  
“Nothing, Mike, this is outstanding, look at what you found,” Donnie smiled brightly for the first time since this all started. He felt like he was getting somewhere not lost in that dark abyss he was wandering around.   
  
“Well bro, don't be too grateful yet, I don't know what is real, or not,” Mikey sadly said looking at the amount of information he collected.  
  
Donnie placed his hand under his chin, then licked his lips, “True, however, we can't discount any details for now. We need to carefully comb through it and find anything that holds similarities to what has been going on here. Who knows the real story could be scattered through the stories, like puzzle pieces. Some stories could be far fetched, but one part could be the truth and so on.”  
  
“Man,” Mikey hissed with one eye shut, “I hate puzzles.”  
  
“I know Mikey, but you love stories, how about you start there,” Donnie gave half the information to him, “As I start here, take this highlighter and highlight anything that seems like it could be important. After we do that I will compile the information and maybe I can piece together the truth.”  
  
“Sounds fair,” Mikey happily took his pile and rubbed his hands together, he loves horror stories, yet, he hesitated suddenly with his joy washing away.   
  
He began staring grimly at his pile with an uneasiness taking root in his very soul, in this particular case, it wasn't a thrilling task to be given.   
  
Any other normal day he would be diving into it this with no second thought, for this being his thing, this, however, wasn't the same by far.   
  
There was a fine line between reading or telling a horror story, then actually finding yourself smack in the middle of one...   
  
\---  
  
“Don, I think I have something here,” Mikey jumped up leaning across the desk to get his brother's attention. Donnie let out a yawn rubbing his eyes as they trailed over toward the clock, it was some time after six and they were still at this.   
  
“What is it Mikey?” he let out another yawn, that was copied by Mikey in return.  
  
Mikey shook his head, trying his best to stay awake, “This.” He laid out four photos of the mirror, and what appeared to be the individuals that owned it.   
  
“Okay, I don't,” Donnie started.  
  
“Dude, look closely. You see the mirror right in each image. You said it was repaired by the looks of it,” Mikey started and Donnie raised an eyebrow in confusion. Mikey rolled his eyes not believing he would have to spell it out to him. “The first image the mirror isn't damage, the second there is a bit of repair then the next and next. Showing the order of these images of previous owners that were documented.”  
  
Donnie blinked soaking in the new information an then quickly pulled one of his drawers open, taking out a magnifying glass. He placed it over the mirror on each image as his face turned white seeing the bigger picture.   
  
“Donnie, what's wrong?” Mikey asked warily seeing how his brother was going through each photo and then rushing to his computer to compare the originals.  
  
“Take a look Mikey in the mirrors and tell me what you see?”  
  
While Donnie brought the originals up to blow them up on his screen, Mikey did what his brother told him, now catching what he did not.   
  
“Each woman has no reflection,” Mikey gasped. Every image had the same scenario the mirror standing behind the couple as the man reflection was shown yet the woman, either a maid or mistress depending on which image, had no reflection. Yet there was more as Mikey looked at the pictures closely.   
  
“Donnie there is...”  
  
“Mannequins,” Donnie finished Mikey's sentence, “and there is something else. Look at the corner of the picture what do you see?”  
  
“Dollhouses?” Mikey asked, noticing each one had one or two in the frame.  
  
“Not any houses, take a look at this,” Donnie pulled up images of actual real houses that were identical to the ones in the images.   
  
The creepy part was that these houses he found were owned by the people in the photos, what his research concluded so far.  
  
However, no one could confirm if it's real since the legend goes, from the pieces of facts Donnie had gathered, digesting them from all the files they collected and putting them together is that the mirror shows up, things start happening towards the man of the house or lover, in the same manner Donnie has been experiencing.   
  
Then so far what he could make out, the wife or lover, the woman of the story starts having weird things happening to her, dreams, hallucinations and some are even pull towards the mirror.   
  
The mannequins are mentioned, unfortunately, there was little to no information on them, other than they too appear some time after the mirror starts its horrors on its victims.   
  
Then there was the last part that disturbed both Donnie and Mikey when Donnie started to explain his findings.   
  
The houses, the people all disappear into thin air out of nowhere in the end with no explanation or warning.   
  
That is why no one can prove if the pictures of the houses are the same in the photo with the mirror since they all disappeared leaving only the foundation behind.  
  
  
Some individuals had come up with some crockpot theories behind this urban legend, from aliens to demons and so on.   
  
Each one getting outlandish then the last, what was real or not that was still to be determined. However, the proof proved the mirror was the key either way.  
  
“This would explain why April showed up when she did,” Donnie pointed out.  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I was heading behind the mirror to turn it away from you, then suddenly she was there, so I stopped. I think she didn't want me to see what was behind it,” Donnie explained, wondering if he was grasping at straws or was onto something.   
  
None of the stories had any explanation on what this was or how it really started, nor what was the ending of it all.   
  
There was no story about anyone surviving this mirror, only some pieces of the journal that was buried in the backyard of one of the supposing locations of the missing houses.   
  
Now if that was true or not, the pages were ramblings of a madman, and those ramblings hit home to Donnie.   
  
Many of them said the same horrifying words he had been tormented with, 'he branded me' It was in between the journal entries, some places that didn't even make sense.  
  
“So if she was trying to prevent you from seeing what is behind the mirror,” Mikey bit his lip, “We need to see what is behind it, don't we?”  
  
Donnie sighed heavily in the regret that this was the next step they needed to take and then he yawned, “Yes we do, but first we might want to make sure April is safe before daring to go near it.”  
  
“But dude, April doesn't have a reflection, so she might not be herself anymore,” Mikey pointed out.  
  
“Not true, in that journal the guy said he swore he saw two of his lovers, one he met upstairs that creep him out so he went to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water, only to find she was there as well. There was no way for her to be upstairs, then down without passing him, even he said that himself.”  
  
“So there is two Aprils?”  
  
“I think so.” he nodded. The idea of there being two did make him wary, as one question plagued him, what happens to the original when this is over?  
  
“Okay, so let's say there are two Apes then how the shell do we tell them apart, without making the bad one suspicious?”  
  
“Mirrors!” Donnie clapped his hands together sudden, startling Mikey who let out a yelp. “Sorry Mikey didn't mean to do that,” Donnie nervously chuckled, then cleared his throat, “Each image the 'fake woman' I figure must be, has no reflection not just in the 'mirror' but other reflective surfaces.” Donnie took two images that proved that theory.   
  
One there was a mirror and the reflection of the room was seen in it with the exception of the woman, and there was even a small mirror displayed in another photo that showed the man's arm only and she once again wasn't showing up.  
  
“So we just need to look into a mirror or anything that gives a good reflection then,” Mikey like that idea.  
  
“Yes and I do have some small round ones somewhere here,” Donnie stood up from his chair going towards some rows of shelves and disappearing for a moment. When he came back, he held two perfect round mirrors that would fit inside their belt pouches. “These will do and they are bulletproof so they won't shatter so easily.”  
  
“Why do you have bulletproof mirrors, this size?” Mikey's eyes widen in disbelief.  
  
Donnie only shrugged, “You never know when they will come in handy?”  
  
“Sure,” Mikey let out a long exhausted sigh and then shook his head, “Well dude, I don't know about you, but I need to get some sleep or Leo will be on my shell.”  
  
“Agree, I will too, but I just want to clean this up so no one sees it. I still think it's best we don't let Raph and Leo onto this until we know all the facts,” Donnie said sadly.  
  
“I know how you feel bro, okay night, just go to bed when you're done,” Mikey said with a yawn, sluggishly dragging his feet to the door and exiting the lab.   
  
Donnie started to pile the files he had into a folder, placing them into a drawer, that he could lock afterward, without worry of having any suspicion from his other two brothers.   
  
Once he was done he looked around the lab, he started to wonder was it wise for them to conduct their research here since this area was a hot spot for activities so far.   
  
Then again, was there anywhere that was safe?   
  
The exhaustion setting in he let out a sigh rubbing the back of his neck, he was best to get to bed--  
  
“Donnie?” the soft female voice called him.  
  
Did he jerk his head up? Confused Donnie stared at his desk on an angle, as if he was resting his head on it.  
  
_(Wait a minute, wasn't I just leaving the room?)_  
  
“Donnie are you okay?” April's voice now could be made out, as he jumped out of his chair, losing his balance. The rollers slid up into the air, making him crash to the ground backwards with the chair.   
  
“OH no, Donnie are you okay?” April was there in an instant hovering over him.  
  
“I...umm,” he could only get out. His face was blank of emotions as he repeatedly blinked at her.  
  
“I will go get Leo,” she insisted, yet was stopped when he pleaded with her not to.  
  
“April it's okay, I... umm. Sorry, it's just that you startled me, and I'm half asleep.”  
  
_(Is she real? Is she my April?)_  
  
“I didn't mean to,” she admitted, “Leo told me you fell asleep at your computer and said something about you and Mikey were up late last night.”  
  
“Right, we came home and started to,” he got to his feet using his desk to lift himself as he thought of a good enough lie to cover what he was really doing, “look into horror stories and got a bit carried away.”  
  
_(Why did I just say that? It's too close to the truth.)_  
  
“Horror stories?” April chuckled, “That sounds odder then saying you and Mikey was working on an experiment together.”  
  
Donnie let out a faint nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head, “I know what your thinking April,” he tried to avoid the truth, though so far he was doing a stand-up job, no sarcasm there. “After he came to see what I was doing last night in your basement....”  
  
“Oh right, about that, did you find out what was with my light in the storage room?” she interrupted, then continued as Donnie didn't answer her right away, “You were gone when I got home and noticed it wasn't working still.”  
  
“What time did you get home?” Donnie asked, biting his lip knowing the answer would be some time after he had left with Mikey, proving that April he saw wasn't real.  
  
“Unfortunately, it was around four or so,” April sighed, “Let's say it was a long night for just a rash.”  
  
“So it was a rash then?” Donnie quickly questioned.  
  
She nodded, “The doctor gave me some cream for it and some antibiotics to prevent it from getting infected. He said it looks like it was caused by allergies, but wanted to make sure it wasn't bacteria that cause it.”  
  
“I see, that is good,” Donnie nodded, seeing she looked away for a moment towards his desk. With quick reflects he took the mirror he armed himself, out to check her reflection. Thankfully she was in it and he felt a bit easier knowing he was talking to his April.   
  
She tapped her finger on the desk, then smiled at him, “So you were saying something about horror stories?” she changed the topic showing she was becoming uneasy over it.  
  
“Right,” Donnie clapped his hands together, moving pass her deciding to take a seat on the couch he had in the corner.   
  
It was one of the spares and time to time was used by one brother or another to get away from the other. It also was great to sit and talk when he needed to be the shrink of the house.   
  
April sat not far from him, relaxing into its old cushions waiting to hear Donnie's explanation on how this came about with the horror search.   
  
“For starters, sorry, no I haven't fixed your light April, I will look into it, I assure you when I'm a bit more alert since I need to go to the top floor, I'll figure it out. That said, after I concluded that is what I needed to do, Mikey came by to see if I was coming home or not, being Mikey,” Donnie chuckled, “He started to play around.”  
  
April raised an eyebrow not fond of the idea Mikey was playing around in her storage room, Donnie smiled brightly, waving his hands, “Don't worry April, he didn't break anything, he just started to spin some scary tale to fit the atmosphere, you know basement, cold, dark, spooky.”  
  
“I'm happy I missed that then,” April let out a nervous laugh.  
  
“Oh trust me you're lucky,” Donnie rubbed his hands, happy she was buying this so far, “He bombed, it wasn't to Mikey's scary standards. The jokes were thrown and then he reluctantly, I might add, admitted he was worried about that camping trip we are planning in a few months.”  
  
“Why is he worried?”  
  
“You're aware that both Raph and Mikey every year get into a competition to see who can spin the best campfire tale?” he asked, having her nod, “He thinks he will lose this year and told me his secret of how he comes up with his stories...”  
  
“Which would explain the horror stories you two were going through last night,” April clued in, “You were helping him to cook up some.”  
  
Donnie nodded, “That is it, and we got carried away. I didn't know there was so much out there.”  
  
“Of course there is dude,” Mikey voiced answered, startling both April and Donnie.  
  
“Mikey, jeez,” Donnie jumped, feeling something tumbled out of his still open pouch, he forgot to fasten it and the mirror drop to the ground. Before anyone asked about it, he used his foot to slid it under the couch and addressed his brother to divert the attention from his foot or the floor, “What do you have there?”  
  
Mikey stood there with a tray in hand, with two steaming cups, sugar bowl and a plate of cookies.  
  
“Thought you two would like a snack and tea,” he placed the plate on the coffee table, “Sorry Don I know you must just got up, but Leo said for being up all night no coffee as punishment.”  
  
“That's cruel,” Donnie said dryly, glaring at the tea, that he had to admit was welcoming either way.  
  
Even so, a nice large cup of the black stuff would have been an ideal choice, although he did notice that staying up all night to the crack of dawn technically, he wasn't as exhausted as he normally would be.   
  
_(What time is it anyway? Noon maybe? Later?)_  
  
Mikey chuckled, “That is why it's called a punishment.”  
  
“Sure it is,” Donnie snorted, grabbing a spoon full of sugar to set in his tea stirring it in.  
  
“Thank you, Mikey,” April intervene, also adding some sugar to her cup.  
  
“No prob, April,” Mikey smiled, then looked towards the door, “I need to go back to the kitchen I'm baking some more cookies and if I don't get back sooner, I know Raphael will eat the batter I have on the counter.”  
  
“You better do that,” Donnie agreed.   
  
The young brother gave a nod making his way to the door, as April watched him, Donnie took this opportunity to fetch the mirror that was under the couch picking it back up.   
  
When he did he froze puzzled at the image in it, he could see April in the frame, the door to his lab, yet no Mikey?   
  
Flashing a look back to the door, Mikey was still making his way to it and tilting the mirror to get a better view, not catching April's attention, Donnie tested it again.   
  
Once again he had everything that should have been in the reflection visible, minus the exception of his brother.  
  
His throat became dry and his breathing erratic that did catch the other two's attention.   
  
When he came aware they were turning their heads towards him, he quickly hid his mirror under his butt and tried his best to calm his breathing and not to shake in fright.  
  
“Donnie are you okay?” April asked him as Mikey turned around then crossed his arms eyeing him.  
  
“Fine,” Donnie answered with a low squeak in his voice, then with quick thinking he grab the throw blanket over the back of the couch, “Sorry just got a chill, I wish I could have some coffee,” he whined receiving a chuckle from April.  
  
“Donnie you can survive,” she started, yet was interrupted by him.  
  
“April I don't think I will survive” he kid, easing not just April's, but the so-called Michelangelo's concerns towards him, both falling for his ruse.  
  
The fake brother smiled, “Dude, just drink the tea, oh April you too,” the fake brother's grin grew, sending shivers down Donnie's spine, as his voice became smoother, “I made it especially for you April.”  
  
“Thanks?” April said, unsure what else to say, awkward by the creepy vibe from Mikey.  
  
“Yeah, thanks Mike... You should hurry or Raph will eat that dough,” Donnie insisted him to make haste.  
  
“Oh right my cookies,” Mikey jumped and then rushed out of the room. Once he was gone Donnie moved into action stopping April from touching her tea.  
  
“Donnie, what are you doing?” April blinked at him, he was sweating and in a panic.  
  
“Don't drink it or eat the cookies,” Donnie warned grabbing the tray and bringing it to his desk. He searched his drawers for that scanner he owned that he normally stored it in his duffle bag, but a few weeks ago it was dropped by Raph and he was still repairing it, even so, it would work for this little task.   
  
He did wish he had it fully functional since it would have worked wonders when he was testing Mikey the night before or reading the mirror in April's basement. He set it up knowing it would take a moment to scan the items since that was one of many functions that were messed up with it at the moment.  
  
“Why?” April got off the couch quickly following him and watch him act oddly from a distance.  
  
“For,” Donnie paused, looking up at her then biting his lip.  
  
_(What do I tell her? Is the truth the right choice? It's just so far fetch, even so, she isn't the type to think I would just make up such a tale to be funny.)_  
  
“For what? Donnie what is going on?” she suddenly demanded, “Yesterday you were acting weird and the secrets everyone is holding about that night I was sent home and...” she looked away, anger filling her eyes as she crossed her arms, “You have been lying to me.”  
  
_(She has noticed?)_  
  
Donnie let out a subtle sigh, “I'm sorry, I don't want to, but the truth is not easy to explain.”  
  
“Then just try,” April flashed him a look, as her eyebrows raise showing off her frustration. She was begging him to let her in, not to shut her out like this anymore. In the glimmer of her eyes, he could see the hurt in them over he hasn't made any attempt to trust her so far like he has done so with the rest of his family.  
  
“I can't April,” Donnie tried to say only getting her snarl at him as she tilted her head away from him.  “April trust me if I knew how to explain this I would, I mean it I would!”  
  
“You know it's just simple starting somewhere, then just lying to me instead, you haven't even attempted once, haven't you?” April huffed shaking her head while she headed for the door.  
  
“I...”  
  
“No Donatello! No more excuses, I don't know what is going on, but either way, if it's for my own good or not, I hate being left in the dark like this, especially from you. I don't understand why you don't trust your own little brother, why Leo couldn't tell me what was in your lab that was so dangerous that I couldn't come over until it was resolved, or why last night you freaked out over some rash on my shoulder.” she placed her hand on the door, “Call me when you're willing to let me in Donatello.”  
  
“April wait!” Donnie rushed after her as she left his lab.  
  
The female friend dashed across the lair with heavy strides, as Donnie tried to catch up to her.  
  
“April please,” Donnie bagged, seeing the commotion was drawing the attention from the other members of the lair. Both Mikey and Raph peeked over the couch's back, while their video game continued to play killing their characters and Leo walked out of the dojo at that same moment, tilting his head in confusion.  
  
“No Donatello!” April snarled, turning around with her arms cross, “I don't want to hear it!” she yelled at him in her anger, “I'm going home.”  
  
“Wait that might not be...”   
  
“Save it!” she warned him, then turned her back on him and ignored the blank stares from the other turtles, figuring maybe, if Donnie was trusting with them at least, would be willing to fill them in.   
  
She stormed to the elevator and entered before Donnie could get another word in otherwise.   
  
The door closed behind her and everyone's eyes fell quickly on Donnie.   
  
He stood there with his hand out, as his brain raced to figure out what he should do?   
  
_(Shell this isn't good... Maybe I should have.. told her...)_  
  
His eyes fixed on the elevator, then for some odd reason slowly shifted towards the kitchen as something out of place caught the corner of his eye.   
  
His brothers were all accounted for behind him, yet something stood there in the darkness. He couldn't see who it was, only the silhouette he could make out.   
  
For the life of him, he couldn't figure out who or what it was, then it unexpectedly smiled at him brimming with amusement.   
  
_(Is it enjoying the fact April is mad at me?)_  
  
Unable to react to the horrifying sight of this thing's crooked smirk, Donnie jumped suddenly feeling a hand on his shoulder. He sharply turned around ready to defend himself, until he realized it was his blue mask brother.   
  
Leo's expression was full of worry and more so on Donnie's reaction towards him in the manner as if he was going to attack him, showing that it wasn't over what was lurking in the shadow.  
  
_(Leo didn't see it, did he? Probably not, what just happened? Was that thing her? Was she watching, loving the conflict between me and April? Why?)_  
  
“Donnie,” Leo started pulling Donnie back from his wandering thoughts, then he heard Raph cut in instead.  
  
“Shell Don, what did you do to piss her off?” Raph barked dumbfounded, receiving a glare from Leo in warning not to start.  
  
“Donnie, what happened?” Leo asked the question of the day, or was it 'what is going on'?  
  
Donnie pulled away from Leo's hand, shaking his head and headed towards his lab, not ushering a word.  
  
When he passed them, secretly he tilted his mirror to make sure each was real.   
  
To some form of satisfaction they all showed up and he could see Mikey out of the three was the only one to notice what he was doing, rushing off the couch and following him quickly into the lab.   
  
He was at his desk by the time Mikey came in, shutting the door on Leo's beak, giving him a 'sorry it's a delicate situation and best he dealt with it'.   
  
There were some hurt feelings from Leo, yet the eldest back away and did not push.   
  
With the door closed not even Raph came around to investigate or taunt moments after, as both brothers figured the leader in blue warned him not to, leaving Mikey alone with his disturbed brother.  
  
“Donnie, what is going on?” Mikey inquired an answer now, not later or dare to hide anything from him.  
  
The younger brother came up to the desk blinking at the tray of food and drinks, knowing April never brought this in when she came over, as he gave them a questionable look on where did it come from?  
  
“Did you bring this to us, Mikey?” Donnie asked hesitantly.  
  
“No dude, I was playing Death by Bite Two with Raphie, for the past three hours,”  Mikey answered, then added, “Why?” Though he asked that, he feared the answer.  
  
“Since you came in Mike and served this tray to us,” he explained, watching the blood drain from Mikey's face who was about to insist it wasn't him, only to stop when Donnie continued, “I know it wasn't you since you had no reflection when you brought this in here.”  
  
“I didn't... wait was it that thing?” Mikey piped up in horror, “I thought it takes the look of the woman that it is targeting.”  
  
“I guess it doesn't necessarily, it possible it may take shape of who had looked into the mirror,” Donnie thought about it, “April acted off  when mentioning the basement that night, maybe she had a similar experience as you did with it, yet she couldn't remember and it left the mark on her that something was wrong.”  
  
“Sounds reasonable I guess, so it can make itself look like me now?” Mikey shuddered.   
  
“Look and think similar,”  
Donnie pointed out, “If it wasn't the fact I accidentally dropped the mirror and had a look at it when I picked it up, I would have been fooled it was you.”  
  
“So the fake me came in and served you tea?” Mikey blinked over the concept, that didn't sound like some master evil plan at all.  
  
“Yes and what it said made me realize April was in trouble,” Donnie looked at the tray noticing his device was now done the scanning.  
  
“Is that part of the reason April was mad at you?”  
  
Donnie groaned sourly, placing his hand on the machine, “She knows I have been hiding something from her and she is angry over the fact I will not tell her. However, I wonder if there is more though.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Mikey asked, getting a shrug from Donnie.  
  
“I can't explain it, it's just a feeling like her anger wasn't her own in a way, yet also I know it wasn't fully towards me, as if something was feeding her it, making her go off like that...” Donnie's hands shook and he swallowed hard, continuing, “I saw something in the kitchen when she left, Mikey... It was smiling joyfully over the conflict between me and her... As if it loved, no, was feeding off the nativity of it.”  
  
Mikey gulped, looking back at the closed door, “I... my kitchen was defiled by that thing...” Mikey shivered, “Don is it still here? Are we going to be okay? I mean, it now can make itself look like me and...”  
  
“Mikey,” Donnie calmly addressed his brother, though he was far from calm, panicking inside too, “Right now I believe we are safe, yet for how long I don't know, we need to get to the bottom of this before April or any of us get hurt.” Donnie clicked on the buttons to bring up the data it collected rolling his eyes on the lagging the screen was experiencing. “Mike,” Donnie started biting his lip, “Has either Raph or Leo show any signs that something been bothering them or--”  
  
“No,” Mikey interrupted, he knew what Donnie was getting at, “Neither of them are even aware anything is even going on, other than you just really ticked off April and lately you have been a bit off probably due to lack of sleep and you being sick beforehand.”  
  
“Good, let's keep it that way.”  
  
“Seriously,”Mikey's eyes widened, “Okay Don, I understood before the with the number one rule, what happens in spook camp stays in spook camp, but it's escalating and I don't think we should do this on our own anymore! This thing can make itself look like me bro, that is not good and--”  
  
Donnie shot his little brother a warning glare, “Right now we don't have the time to explain to those two, and truth be told, I don't think they would understand still or listen, all that will do will make our next step more difficult to perform.”  
  
“What next step?”  
  
“We need,” Donnie was about to explain then his eyes widen in disbelief.  
  
“Donnie what is wrong,” Mikey came around, squinting at the screen on his brother's scanner. The young turtle had no idea what he was looking at, seeing only it was a mash of words and numbers.  
  
“We need to get back to that mirror now,” Donnie clicked the machine off, even if it was stubborn to work properly it would have to do to scan the mirror, he didn't have the time to fix it fully and frankly he had no parts for it to do so anyways.  
  
“Seriously?” Mikey piped up, not happy with running in full guns and no backup, how was that a plan?  
  
“Yes, and gear up, grab the smoke bombs and bring some extra ninja stars, we might need them,” Donnie rushed by him grabbing his duffle bag and placing any necessary equipment he could think that would be useful.  
  
“Wait, we should really update Raph and Leo--” Mikey tried again to convince Donnie.  
  
“No time Mikey, that scan... it read mutagen was in the tea, we destroyed the last of the mutagen I had in my possession and finding any in New York of that exact strain is impossible,” Donnie fearfully explained.   
  
His eyes full of fear and his brain filled with the horrors of what if April drank it, how did that thing get its hands on mutagen when he destroyed everything he had?   
  
Then there was the last question plaguing him, why in the shell was it so insistent and fascinated with it and now trying to use it on April?   
  
The nightmare, it wanted to use it on itself to make him want it, thinking mutating the human body would make him want it more.   
  
Was that the answer?   
  
It thinks if April was mutated he would be more willing to like her more than just a sister? To have a desire for her?

* * *

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...
> 
> Disclaimer: TMNT isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.  
> Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...  
> Rate: T  
> (TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)

**  
******

* * *

There in the late evening blooming around them was a heavy silence, as they stood stiffly before the entrance of April's building. The sun overhead was slowly dipping down that cast the alleyway in shadows, perfect to camouflage two five and a half foot turtles. To aid them further not to draw any unwanted attention was the design of this alleyway itself, one reason why they always used it when it came to visiting the human friend. With the next building over, it had no windows on that side, which was helpful and its sharp turn narrowing at the only exit prevented any passerby seeing the area fully.

A cold breath escaped his warm lips that were pressed tightly together. He hesitated with hands gripped tightly onto his duffle bag's strap, even so, he wasn't the only one guilty for the lack of courage, neither turtle was willing to be the first to enter. What horrors awaited them, if any? Just moments ago they were gun hoe ready for any challenges that they could face, yet before this gateway, painted with imaginary wording 'beyond this point there is no turning back' the daunting dread finally caught up to them, forcing them to face the reality.

They were clueless to what was awaiting for them beyond that door. It was simple to speak of a plan to slay the darkness, to prepare for this quest of fools, yet to be here, before the moment where life and death were blurred together on a silver lining, such talk was just that, words, not the true play of the events that will unfold. Not in a million years of prepping could truly prepare them for what is to come, and they knew it.

One thing that was actually in their favour was that there was no immediate danger towards April, that could have been their downfall.

When they arrived, Donnie noticed April's car wasn't there, meaning she wasn't home. Mikey too aware of this little fact made the decision he should give her a ring to conclude whether or not she was there. If it was true, it was a perfect opportunity to see if he could discourage her from going home for the time being.

If they could minus her in the picture it would be one less person to worry about and two neither brother wanted to put their dear friend in harms way if they could help it.

It was bad enough that Donnie was feeling overly guilty as it stood by the idea that he allowed her to leave the lair alone, he should have tried harder to keep her in his brother's care or convince her to stay at her sister's even. The thought of her there while they do this, was too hard for him to handle.

Part of him wanted to make the call instead, to hear her voice, to reassure him she was safe, however, he knew, receiving loud and clear the clue that she didn't want to talk to him, which hurt so much.

Donnie glanced towards the door, taking a breath than to his brother, as his little brother nodded and flipped his shell cell open, dialing April's number. The ringing filled the air, oddly not shattering that wall of silence as if the silence was trying to drown it instead, Donnie's eyes shifted uneasily to the door once more.

Thought of redemption crept in clouding his mind. When this was over he promised he would tell her the full truth, willing to take responsibility for not telling her beforehand and receiving her wrath in the end. Until then at least she would be safe and that is all he wanted, even if he had to sacrifice to have her upset with him for a while or worse.

"Hey Ape," Mikey cheerfully greeted her on the cell, drawing Donnie back to the now. Donnie's eyes shot to the little brother who seemed a bit nervous and had his best smile on.

"Sorry Ape... No, I understand." Mikey's smile started to crack and the mask of happy go lucky was chipping as the pieces were crumbling to the ground. Donnie hovered over his brother's shell, giving him support the best way he could think, the knowledge that he wasn't alone. The other reason, of course, was for him to be able to hear what she was saying on the other line.

"Mikey if this is about me and Donatello..."

"Well, sort of."

"Sorry Mikey, I must-"

"Wait Ape, I just want to make sure you're okay. I'm just worried that is all... Do you want me to come over?" Mikey heard her hesitate between her breaths, he quickly took another approach, before he lost her. Who knows if she would answer his call if he did have to ring her up again, "Not to defend my brother of course, but to be there if you want to just talk," Mikey pushed, showing he wasn't taking sides, yet wanted to be there for her as a friend.

There was a sigh on the other side of the line that held no feelings, making it impossible for either brother to know what she was thinking. The worse part of all she grew quiet, forcing both brothers to wait for this nerve wrecking moment to pass, then April finally answered, for a second there they thought she hung up on them. "Sorry Mikey, I really don't want to talk, and besides I'm not home right now."

"Oh?"

"I know Donatello will want to apologize and I don't want him to right now, so I'm..." April hesitated and Mikey's smiled deepened into a real one this time.

"Gotcha, you don't want Donnie-boy to know so he can't attempt to say sorry until you're ready, right? So you're at that coffee shop?" Mikey guessed cleverly.

He received an annoyed growl from the human friend. One that she would do when he got something correct and he shouldn't have. Donnie gave Mikey an odd look, not sure what coffee shop Mikey was talking about.

"That obvious?" April said weakly.

"Nah, only for me, besides I know you go there when you're stressed out or need a break," Mikey chuckled.

"Stalker..."

"Moi?" Mikey blinked in surprised, "Never."

"Yes, for how else could you have known in detail about my habits Michelangelo?" she asked coldly.

Mikey let out a nervous chuckle, "Saw you a few times there sis, besides, when it comes to it your easy to read."

"Sure..." April sighed, "I.." she started, then paused, that silence before rose again then another sigh came from her, as both brothers let out their own in relief, she really needed to stop doing that to them. "I don't want to go home either right now and the same time, I hate being mad at Donatello."

"I feel your pain sis, I do," Mikey assured her, "But don't worry, FWI it's obvious he doesn't blame you and feels guilty I assure you on that. Hey Ape."

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you go to the movies or something if you're in the mood, I heard that new movie you wanted to see is playing."

"By myself?" April said sourly.

"Well, I would love to go with you sis, but we both know I can't. Shell you can let me know if it's that good so I can bug Donnie to download a version online, you know how he is such an old turtle when it comes to those things. With your approval, I might have a better chance to convince him."  
_**  
(Old turtle?!)**_  Donnie narrowed his eyes at his brother, he didn't act like some old man, he just didn't see the point of wasting his time searching for some amateur pirate version of the movie that was still in theatres, to compare waiting for it to come out on Blue Ray. The difference in quality speaks for itself on which one is more enjoyable.

"You just want to see if I can get you some kettle corn, aren't you," April saw through his scam.

Mikey's foot circled the ground, "Maybe..."

A light chuckle came from April's side, "Fine, I will do it for you since you did make me feel better Michelangelo and besides, I wouldn't mind talking later at my place. Don't worry I will not pressure you into telling me what is wrong with Donatello or anything, just like you said before, talk."

"Sounds like a date, sis," Mikey agreed, then added, "Oh Ape, I promise not to tell Donnie-boy whatcha up to, so he doesn't bother you until your ready to talk to him."

"That would be great Michelangelo," April said, then paused again, "Mikey?"

"Yes, Ape?"

She didn't answer leaving both turtles waiting, then her voice came through, "You have five minutes to save your little bitch."

The voice so heartless, it shot chills down both Donnie's and Mikey's spines, as suddenly a blood-curdling scream came from inside the building, that sounded like April. April on the cell started to laugh hysterically, making Mikey jump in fright and dropping it to the ground.

Donnie's head snapped towards the door, the whole time it wasn't April who was on the other line, it was that thing?

Another scream echoed in his eardrums that were drumming to the beat of his shaken heart. He rushed forward wrapping his hand on the doorknob.  
_  
(Shell she is in trouble!)_

The door to his surprise gave him no resistance and open with ease. A rush of stale air greeted him, with an empty hallway lingering before him. There was a dead gloom hovering in the entrance unwelcoming, that sinisterly dared them to enter.

Mikey's cell was still on the ground since neither wanted to fetch the possessed object, that died in silence, followed by the hangup ringtone that now only could be heard. Facing their own doom, both felt it deep down this was a trap, nevertheless, one trap they had no choice to walk into.

"I will go first," Donnie volunteered, now taking some caution with the first step over the threshold.

His skin crawled feeling the heavy negative energy that was thick in the air. He wasn't the only one, hearing Mikey let out a small whimper. This was it, there was no turning back and with April in harm's way, no second thoughts were permitted.

What would been suspected, the building was beyond quiet, only sounds surprisingly was their footsteps, even when they attempted to be light on their feet. It was as if the floor was mocking them, announcing their entry.

The screams were long died down and Donnie was faced with the predicament at hand, where was April? Was she upstairs in her apartment, her study, her store or the basement?

 _(Shell which way, I don't have any time_ _to make any mistakes.)_

He cast his gaze at each point of location quickly figuring out a plan of action, then a sound broke the silence, that came from the basement. It was low and hard to make out, yet to his experience, he concluded it was scuffling as if something was being dragged. If he had to guess, it made perfect sense the sound was going to the far end of the basement, since the mirror was in that area. It had to be where April was, if the sound wasn't April herself being pulled towards that room.

(What if it's bringing her to the mirror? What happens if it does?)

Donnie quickly pointed towards the stairs, seeing Mikey hesitantly nodding and swallowing hard.

The dragging sounds cease when they reached the first step. Down the staircase the darkness was so thick not even the flashlight Donnie had brought was penetrating it.

"Keep three steps behind and a mindful eye behind us," Donnie whispered the order to his brother, taking the first step.

He didn't want them too close together giving some room for him to move if he must, without crashing into Mikey. His foot firmly on the first step, his hand went for the light switch, to no avail. Though his actions were fruitless, he wasn't surprised, he figured it wouldn't work, pressing on down the set of stairs. Each crack and pop of the wood on the steps screamed 'we are here' and neither bothered trying to be silent anymore, it was pointless at this stage of their so call rescue mission.

With each passing step, his heart thumped louder echoing into his eardrums, while the silence clawed up his legs, and it took all his might not to trip over his own two feet. Halfway there the silence was shattered by yet another blood-curdling scream.

_(Are we too late?)_

In the back of his mind, he could hear Leo's voice lecturing him to not be rash and charging in, for a ninja is cautious and stealthy, to make the situation into their favour not for another, especially if that said situation was a known trap. However, he didn't care to be rational anymore, bolting down the remaining steps, turning sharply to the left towards where the scream came from, the room where the mirror was stored.

The basement's surroundings blurred from his vision that only focused on the door ahead. Once he was at it, he turned its handle, flinging it open.

The room before him was not in the same state it was the other day, the boxes were cleared out leaving it empty, with two exceptions. Once again he was faced with the creepy mannequins that were circling around a figure on the floor, with all their heads facing him as if expecting his arrival. It took him a moment to recognize the human laying there, it was April, all tied up with a sack over her head.

She was in the middle of the room placed in the center of that curse symbol that looked like it was drawn by blood on the cement floor. The only source of lighting was the thousands of lit candles that surrounded the room. He hovered there for a moment, knowing if he entered and lost sight on just one of those damned plastic models they would attack him, he feared what would happen if they did get a hold of him. He wasn't sure what was more frightening the creepy smooth faces with no expression all looking at him or the idea they can move once he reverts his gaze upon them.

 _(I wish this room was full of strange people, creepy psychopaths, zombies even, anything then this...)_  
  
His hand clenched on the door frame trying to figure out what to do, then he felt a breath on the back of his neck. About to turn around a warm hand went on his shoulder and his brother's voice came next. "I will keep watch, you get April."

"What if they come behind if you do?" Donnie asked, weary that one could be sneaking up behind his brother.

"Dude, how many can there be?"

"We can't trust that-"

"Donnie?" April questioned moving her sacked head towards his voice.

"April can you move? Wiggle even?"

"No, I can't move, what is going on? I was driving home and.. and suddenly Mikey was in the back seat of my car, he wasn't there before, I know he was in the lair with you, I know he was... I know that for a fact and... and I.. blackout and-"

Donnie's heart sank, he knew he should have stopped her when he had the chance, this was all his fault.

"April it's going to be okay. I promise I will explain later, but right now your in danger and I need you to crawl your way to me please," Donnie insisted keeping an eye on the dummies.

"I can't!" April yelp in a panic, "I am trying and can't move, my body!" her voice was quivering and she started to cry, "I... I can't feel my legs! My arms... my... Donnie, please help me..."

_(Could the symbol be acting like some cage and preventing her from moving on her own will?)_

"Okay I'm coming to get you," Donnie bit his lip, feeling his brother's dread and rising anger, and on top of that how his brother was now speechless. Donnie wasn't sure if Mikey's dreadful silence was over the fact he was going to go in, or the fact that April stated he was the one that attacked her in her car. The thing must have taken Mikey's likeness to take April off guard, even so it was Mikey's face it took and the thought of that hurt the little brother deeply. A pain that Donnie could sense and it boiled his blood that this thing had hurt them both.

_(Shell I have to end this, to save her and him, this better work.)_

"Mikey watch them," Donnie ordered his brother.

"Mikey?" April stuttered in fear.

"April, yes Mikey. Our Mikey, my brother. The one in the car wasn't him, it was something else," Donnie assured her and his kid brother as well, "I will explain it later, just hold on."

He took a breath and entered the room sensing them all targeting him, yet they did not move since Mikey's eyes were preventing them.

_(Almost there, just a couple steps.)_

He stood before her, then knelt down and extended out his hand, then suddenly the room's light started to dim. To his right and left the candles were going out, one by one plunging the room into darkness. Against his training, he panic and froze, knowing even with his flashlight and the one Mikey was using it wouldn't fully illuminate the room leaving some models the advantage to play without supervision.

 _(Shell I got to-)_  
  
A shattering male scream echoed from behind him, he dropped his flashlight startled by it, which unfortunately engulfed him in this darkness. His brother's scream gone as quickly as it came, a silence took its place making him feel alone.

(Shell! Shell! Where is it?) He frenetically felt the ground before him for his torch. If he didn't find it, he was toast if he wasn't already. A second lasting forever, then, when all hope was lost, his fingers came into contact with something warm and metal. He with his turtle luck, quickly snatching it with a firm grip and turning it back on. To his horror, hoping to see an empty room, instead a face, lifeless with hollow eyes stared back at him. It was only a beak away and if it had a breath, he should feel it on his skin. He shivered, swallowing the lump in his throat, as he stared at its smooth face, with shadows cast on it from his light under its chin. With no features, he couldn't help being overwhelmed by sadness, what was with it? Why did he feel like it was in some form of pain?

_(I got to move...)_

He attempted to move slowly back, he only got a foot away suddenly feeling something brush behind him. No time to react something came down upon him fast, over his head as it brushed harshly against his skin. Darkness took root and he was unexpectedly pulled back, dropping his flashlight and lost his balance.

_(What the shell... Wait, is this a bag?)_

His arms darted up grabbing the lip of the sack as he tried to rip it off only to his dismay, something strong and cold wrapping around his arms, pulling them back with much force. He screamed in anger and pain, as his body was violently thrown back hard as his shell smacked on the cement floor, making a cracking sound as it did.

Luckily his shell was hard or he would thought he damaged it. Weight on his legs now, he couldn't kick or get out of this hold, then the attacker yanked on his arms up over his head, tying them tightly in rope he assumed, along with is feet.

 _(I got to get free.)_  
  
He struggled in vain trying his best to move his body to help him to get free from his restraints, however, before he could do anything the assailant snatch this arms and jerk them forward, pulling him backwards. His shell scraped against the floor as he was dragged out of the room. He screamed more, threatening his captor, trying to figure out who or what was doing this, then it dawned on him, was he being dragged off by the mannequins?!

_(Where are they bringing me? Where are April and Mikey? Damn it, why can't I hear anything, not even my own screams reach my ears. This is ridiculous, I was a damn fool to dare to consider that Mikey and I should do this alone. I should have attempted to rationalize the situation with my brothers, I should have grabbed April's arm when she tried to leave and told her the truth, regardless how insane it was. At least she would have listened, knowing I would never been the type that would fabricate such a story to get her to stay, seeing there is some truth in my words...)_

Donnie sighed, giving up the battle for he was at his wit's end, and doing this fruitless fight for what felt like hours he was getting tired of all of it.

_(I'm such a failure, she is in danger and I can't do anything to stop it.)_

His body that has been floating there upon his defeat suddenly was put up right as he could feel the familiar wooden floor under his feet. Was he in April's store? Was that even possible, since his journey felt longer than just going up a flight of stairs and then into a room.

Though he was standing on his own two feet once again, he still had two strong cold hands holding his arms. He took a breath awaiting for what will come next, then unexpected a bright light blinded him, forcing him to squint to gain his eyes sight, taking notice that the bag was removed from his head.

It only took his eyes a moment before he could see clearly, unfortunately, it wasn't what he wanted to witness, this horrific scene. In the corner of his eye, he could see a hand holding the assume bag that was over his head. Included on that side, he could see his brother held against his will by a mannequin and with still a bag covering his head. The room, the store that April was proud of was vandalized with weird symbols that look like they were painted with blood, and there was a foul lingering scent of iron, sending shivers down Donnie's spine knowing his observation was correct.

There were thousands of candles covering every inch of the room, melting over everything April owned, soaking in fabrics and covering objects with thick wax.

By appearance they were burning for hours, days even and repeatedly were replaced with new ones to give them this look.

However, that didn't make sense, how could they? Not that he entered her store of late and he couldn't recall if she has been open for the past couple days, yet he would think he noticed the faint smell when passing by to see April, or even caught a glimpse of the soft glow that should have been visible through the frosty window on the door.

In the center, the main event was the mirror, with no sheet to cover it and where he stood he was lucky not to been cast in its image. It only had 'his' April who was held by two mannequins, as she stared at Donnie in pure fear. She had a good reason and just not only for the event unfolding, but beside her was the thing, that still had no image in the mirror, even so at the moment the body it portrayed was April's, with one incorrect feature, that ungodly smile.

"Let her go!" Donnie growled, pulling his body forward, narrowing his eyes at the fake.

The doppelganger smiled a wild grin, "Oh and why would I do that?"

"For you want me not her!"

"Oh my dear turtle that is only half the truth," she purred grabbing April's chin firmly in her hand and snapping the poor human's head towards her. Any more force she would have broken April's neck, yet luckily the thing didn't do that.

"What do you want from me?" April demanded, shaking by the sight of another her. The thing drew closer, smiling at the redhead, "Oh dear dear silly girl, the only thing I do need you for, is to win his love."

"Love?" April raised an eyebrow.

"Oh come on now little bird, we both know he has an infatuation over you, always had and to win that is by using you."

April speechlessness suddenly turned to laughter, "You think Donatello loves me. I'm like a sister to him nothing-" April let out a screamed having her hair pulled back.

"April!" Donnie yelled out struggling with his mannequin.

"You little hore you really have no idea what you have do you? He loves you and you deny him. I also know he denied me since I'm not you, but I would have thought you would be less blind and sensible to see how he feels for you," the thing muttered sourly, as it let go of April's hair and walked away.

"Listen, what April said is true, we are friends, family, nothing more," Donnie tried to reason, he had no choice and maybe he could end this without a horrific ending or things resorting to violence.

The thing snapped its head at him with a snarl, "You are just a foolish as this female, I wouldn't be here if there wasn't something here, to begin with. Something you two have no clue is there..."

"There is nothing!" Both April and Donnie told her.

"ENOUGH," the thing rage, "I will prove it and besides, I never had a redhead in my collection before."

"What?" April struggled, trying to escape from the insane look-alike that drew nearer. The thing walked back towards her and then took out something from its pocket.

Instantly Donnie was filled with panic.

_(Shell! It can't be... h...h... how does it have that!)_

"No, please don't do it!" he begged, crying out, as he pulled his arms forward as tears formed.

"What is that?" April asked, not liking how Donnie was acting.

"A change," the thing curled a devilish smile, holding up the vile of mutagen over April's head. Leaning down and ignoring Donnie's pleas to stop, it whispered into April's ear, making the redhead eyes widen just before the mutagen poured over her head.

"NO NO NO!" Donnie screamed, "Shell no!" He struggled more trying to get free from his bonds, seeing in the corner of his eye his brother's confusion not knowing what was going on before him, what he watched in horror, truly happy his little brother was not witnessing this.

The green ooze dripping down her head and running down her neck, she was set free from the mannequin, however, she didn't move away, instead collapsed to her knees, holding her sides, her head suddenly snap back letting out a scream of agony as she grabbed her head. Her body vibrated violently with her heavy breathing, as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Aanh! It is starting," the thing tilted its head at Donnie, with ecstasy painted on its face as its hand felt up its lower stomach and then pointed to the mirror. He dared to look towards the object, as he swallowed the lump in this throat, the thing was starting to become solid? In the reflection of the mirror, it was transparent at first, however, it was becoming visible every passing second. His attention flashed back to April, as her screams became like thunder in his eardrums, seeing her skin melting off her face and hands into a puddle on the floor. To his confusion, under her once skin showed no muscles or bone that should be coming up next, instead plastic material, like...

_(Wait... is she... is she turning into a mannequin...)_

"What is wrong turtle, you don't understand do you?" the thing questioned breathing heavily in moaning in a pleasure. A lust filled her as she moved her hand down her neck and towards her plump breasts that were now solid in the mirror. She was becoming real if one could define it, as April's features were less defined and moulding into a basic model. The thing was stealing April's appearance fully for its own and leaving April nothing than a blank slate.

"How is this possible!" Donnie demanded, "Mutagen doesn't react like-"

"It's not mutagen silly boy. It looks like that, to symbolize something you relate to, Donatello," it smiled, then flashed a look in the mirror, feeling its body like it was the first time wearing it. Though it took April's form before and even Mikey's why was it acting this was new?

"Symbolize what?"

"Change, new life, new beginnings," she licked her lips hovering her finger towards him, hinting it changed him, made him what he was, "for me, and bonus a new doll for my collection," she mused pointing at April next who in turn had grown silent and Donnie knew why when he turned his head towards her. There was nothing left, then a figure, like the others in the room, she was the same as the others.

 _(The others...)_ Donnie looked at them all as the reality hit him. "They are your victims, each one of these mannequins is the women that you had stolen their looks, you branded!" Donnie growled.

"Yes and now its time for the main course," the thing gestured and Donnie felt his hands, and legs become free. He moved forward so they wouldn't hold him down again, though he had the sickening feeling they wouldn't as he turned his attention to his friend feeling the guilt.

"April... I'm so... so sorry," Donnie stumbled forward, reaching out to her, "I... I couldn't save you," he told her, hearing the buzzing in his head. Ignoring it, he pushed forward, trying to reach her, "I will fix this I promise, I-" The humming now loud as a room full of alarms going off all at once, he held his head, pushing through the invisible wall before him.

_(I need to get to her, I need to...)_

The air pollution cranked to high now was drowning his own voice as his eyes creep up towards the thing that was causing his pain, the mirror.

He could fully see his body in it and when his eyes came in contact with own eye reflection, once they were staring at each other in an endless loop, his world shattered.

Donatello screamed as his head felt like it was going to explode, his heart raced and something crawled up his legs, digging deep into his skin, tearing at his flesh, then clawing towards his soul.

The mirror started to vibrate and the air became thick and heavy, pressing down on his shell. Then pop, the mirror shattered engulfing its shards around his body, clutching him in its grasp and swallowed him up, thrusting him into the darkness of the surface of the mirror.

Visually, it was like an open mouth wanting to eat him whole, and devour every piece of his flesh, his bone, his life force, his soul... it hungered for him now, his raw emotions for her... for April.

* * *

TBC?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...
> 
> Disclaimer: TMNT  isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.  
>  **Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...**  
>  Rate: T  
> (TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)  
> 

**  
** ****

* * *

The cold soaked into his skin from his cheek that was pressed firmly against what he could tell was brick.   
  
How could he be lying on a brick floor?   
  
April's shop floor was all wood panelling.   
  
While his mind was contemplating over this, that cold begun to spread outward, claiming over other parts of his body. Was he laying down, why?  
  
 _(Huh, did I fall out of bed?)_  
  
His fingers explored the floor’s surface, feeling the cracks and rough surface, then it dawned on him, no floors in the lair is bricked. He stirred, trying to push away the thick fog in his head that prevented him from thinking straight.  
  
 _(What was I doing again? Was I patrolling?)_ He pushed forward as the fog was a worthy foe, yet he refused to give into it.  
  
 _(No… that is not it… Mikey was with me right?)_  
  
Something crept in, lingering before him like a bait on a hook and he, against his subconscious that told him he was best to leave it be and accept what was, grabbed it.   
  
 _(Something isn't right…)  
_  
Tooth, claw and nail, he ripped through the veil as he finally snapped to reality.   
  
 _(APRIL!)  
  
(OH SHELL APRIL!)_  
  
Donnie flashed his eyes open trying to shuffle to stand up, however, was stopped by something unseen in the darkness, that was wrapped around him like a wet blanket.   
  
 _(What the shell!)_ His body thrashed every way he was able, somehow reaching to his feet. The coldness was spreading grasping at him, making his teeth chatter.  
  
 _(So… cold)_ His breaths were becoming weaker and he couldn’t shake this off, it was like something was sucking all the warmth out of his body.   
  
“Let go of me!” he growled, kicking and punching the invisible force that was a slimy type substance that crawled and spread the coldness. The imagery, raw, undefined invaded his mind’s eye, seeing this dark mass that was around his arms and legs, splitting into vines crawling around his flesh, sucking the heat, devouring the flesh leaving nothing behind. The fear rose and he screamed, having the goo slither towards his mouth, trying to get inside him, he pulled, he fought against it, yet it pulled him back continuing its feast.   
  
 _(This can’t be the end! I don’t want this!)_  
  
It entered his mouth and he could feel it oozing down his throat, while he gagged on it, unable to stop it. Tears fell from his eyes and his body convulse.  
  
 _(I can’t! I don’t WANT THIS!)_ His throat worked in a gurgle and a scream escaped, “You will not have me! I’m not your damn dinner!”  
  
An old familiar rage inside him boiled to the surface of his mind. He recognized it as soon as it manifested, it reminded him when he mutated into a monster years ago when his body was infected by an alien mutagen that Bishop had concocted. He swore he felt the last of it when he was cured by his family and became normal again. Yet here it was as if the cure didn't truly destroy it and now it broke out of its cage from his heart, clawing up his throat and into his mind taking over.   
  
Any other given day he would fight it, deny its existence not daring it to be apart of him, even so, this wasn't any other day. He let it with open arms welcoming it, as his body’s adrenaline rose. A beast within released, he roared, growling like a savage, tearing apart the vines that held him.   
  
He was overwhelmed by the pure anger, the pure rage and it felt like home. The darkness that once assumed he was the prey in this story, suddenly had fear of this, of him, the monster inside, and it quivered before him, moving away from the alpha.   
  


* * *

  
  
He jolted up with a gasp, holding his sides firmly while his fearful eyes looked around frantically.  
  
 _(What the shell just happened? What’s going on?)_  
  
Donnie jumped up to his feet turning around examining his surroundings in a cloud of confusion, despite his body demanded him to stop.   
  
“I… I was before the mirror trying to get to April,” he coughed out the words that were caught in this throat. If he didn’t know any better he would think someone was strangling him before waking up, yet his throat wasn't actually hurting, it was the way he was out of breath that brought up that idea.  
  
He found himself in an odd room that he never saw before. Under his feet was a reddish brick floor which was the only normal feature in this space. As for the rest of the room, it would be nothing short of a scene taken out of some fantasy novel. On all sides of him were these fragments of shatter glass stuck in time. Now wither they were the walls or decorations, that was anyone's guess, he couldn't tell as they were like looking at some abstract art project that you can stare at for hours and never discover its true nature. Within these pieces of mirrors were reflections of rooms he never been in. As far he could tell, none were related to him in any shape or form.   
  
He placed his hand on his face rubbing his cheek, as a memory came to him inside the darkness of his mind, that rage, that anger. He violently shook his head, denying it for that never could have been.  
  
“That… that was just a dream,” he told himself feeling a chill in the air as he dwells on it. That haunting feeling, he hated it, the memories of him as some beast in the past, no intelligence, only the pure instincts. That wasn’t him and he had pushed that period of his life into a cage in his mind to be forgotten.  
  
 _(Of all the things to dream about, why that one? I'm passed it and its nightmares.)_  
  
With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes slowing his rising heartbeat. This wasn’t the time or place to overthink on such things, there were far more important matters to worry about, such as April.  
  
 _(Did she really turn into a doll? How am I to fix that?)_  
  
A sound above him caught his ears as he looked up, seeing a black void with floating shards of glass sparkling and swirling. There was a sense of home past that void, yet the same time didn't strike him as the actual path back home, it was just a window in a sense, not the door.  
  
“I'm.... in the mirror?” Donnie hypothesize, blinking over the notion. It made perfect sense, regardless it sounded ridiculous on many levels. He swore the mirror did swallow him and who to say the mirror didn’t act like some gateway to another dimension. This could be the case, this place could be that things domain and it uses the mirror to cross into his world.  
  
“This place does have some characteristics to that thing,” Donnie moaned, as his eyes drifted to the looking glass of other places. Many had a common theme, old and worn out, forgotten and neglected. Oddly, they suited the atmosphere, yet a few did baffle him, as he contemplated if these belong to her victims or just reflection of other mirrors? There was one particular mirror that pulled his heavy heart, it was a living room, there was evidence a child once played there, by the toys left behind.   
  
 _(Who knows how many lives she destroyed.)_ He took a step back searching the shards seeing one depressing scene after another, in hopes to find any that reflected April’s shop or home. As his eyes scanned each and every possibility his hope dwindled.  
  
“Up seems more likely the way, but...,” he bit his lip with hesitation, “it doesn't feel safe or correct. I just can't shake the feeling if I dare it will be the last thing I ever do. There's got to be an actual doorway, how else did I get here?” Donnie reluctantly convinces himself. He let out a heavy sigh pulling away from considering up as a choice at all.  
  
 _(I have to think this through.)_ Donnie nodded licking his lips soaking up the details of the area and calculating his success rate of finding a way back. The numbers not on his side, he switched his thought process towards another probability that could give him the same results and do much more.  
  
 _(Let's see, it's obvious I am in that demon's domain, an opportunity I never had until now. All the prior knowledge I had on that thing wasn't enough, which got my family and myself in this mess in the first place. That knowledge originally came from stories and fiction spread across the internet, by urban legends and speculations, yet none were from any survivors of this woman's curse. This place is the source, the hot spot, the beginning and probably the only place that I will find the truth behind this branding.)_ Donnie's brain started to turn as he paced around in a circle muttering to himself.  
  
 _(In conclusion, I have a better chance here than out there in finding any clue to help April. I have no choice to stop searching for a way out and look for a way to get deeper into this rabbit hole. There has to be something I can do in here to stop that thing from continuing, if not at least discover a way to do it out there.)_  
  
He placed his hand under his chin collecting all the information he gathered so far, it was a possibility he could just pick a shard and enter a room? Then again, was that wise? It could very well make him astray and trap him in those reflections. Who knows if they are a physical place or just pockets of dimensions that have only one way in and no way out. Then there was the situation of if they were stable or can sustain life.  
  
“Where do I go from here--” Donnie muttered, then jump when he heard something creaked behind him. The turtle turned around quickly expecting a doll or anything to be there instead was a mysterious door.  
  
“Ah? That wasn’t there before right?”   
  
Now stood before him attached to an actual wall of brick was this solid wooden double door, with elegant decor. Unlike the makeshift room, it appeared to be grounded, part of the room, though he swore it wasn't there a minute ago.  
  
 _(It could be my way out? Or better yet deeper in this could be labyrinth?)_  Donnie clenched his fists, taking a deep breath, just coming aware that he wasn't wearing his gear that included his mask and his trusty bo staff. He took a step forward with watchful eyes, he didn't want anything to sneak up on him, who knows what else he could have overlooked since he done so with this door.

The door loomed overhead towering above him, was it made for giants? He could see it was ajar with a faint glow coming from it. So was someone on the other side waiting for him?  
  
He reached out with a shaky hand feeling nervous, something deep down told him beyond will change everything and there will be no return. There were flashes of that raw instincts swelling in his heart and it made him feel sick to his stomach. Why was he feeling this way, was it a warning? A choice, to whether or not he should go on, or find a way back to April’s shop and deal with things there?  
  
 _(What am I thinking, I can’t go back. All events to this point just prove I have no advantage in my world against her, but here I might.)_  
  
When his hand was inches away, that feeling became overpowering, made him retreat his extended hand and pulling it in, holding it against his chest. A swarm of questions invaded his mind, as part of him was warning him. Was this the answer? Is it necessary for him to go through this door? Is it worth it?  
  
 _(Why did I ask myself that?)_  Donnie's eyes became clouded staring at the door with uncertainty. What was with these overwhelming emotions, why were they pounding against his skull and why they felt different than any others he ever experienced. He faced death, he had face lost, he had seen things that only in nightmares, he had felt loved, he had felt wanted, but these were something not even words could explain.  
  
No, he gulped, they might not be easy to explain, however the origin might. They were like that monster, that beast he mutated into long ago, it was so similar and this time the only difference compared to back then was that he had his mind to recognize them.   
  
 _(How can they be there? I was cured, I’m not mutating anymore, is it the memory of it? Then again, is it this place?)_

  
His eyes targeted the door once again if his growing condition is inflicted by being in this dimension, then he had little time to waste, since either his instincts will take over making him lose himself in them or worse. Sure, he wasn’t sure if that was possible or it was what was going on with him, either way, it just built up as he stood there.   
  
“Shell why did I consider if it was worth it? What will happen to me if I do enter the next area?”   
  
He took a step back thinking this through, more to prep him for what was awaiting for him. Then something called to him from nowhere but everywhere, other than the door.  
  
'If you cross, no return, if you dare, you will be lost one way or another.' a voice soft and unknown explained in riddles. He spun around witnessing he was still alone, he tried to demand it to show itself yet found at the moment his voice did not exist. He clenched his throat, gasping for a word yet none came. 'Can you face it, your true self? Can you throw everything you hold dearly, you love, for one?'  
  
 _(What is it talking about, throwing everything I love, meaning family and friends? Wait, face my true self what the shell?)_  
  
'Everything you knew and conquered, for one?'  
  
 _(Everything I knew? Meaning my knowledge, my life, my existence? Shell this thing is too vague.)_  
  
Everything you dreamed for only one?  
  
 _(Dreamed.... what I wish to be... what I want to accomplish in my life?)_  
  
'Answer me turtle, will you shatter your world, brand your soul for only one?'  
  
“I...” Donnie stood there finding himself looking down at his hands on the question. He still unsure what it meant by one, but whatever it was truly worth erasing himself if that is what it was implying?  
  
'Will you do it?'  
  
“I'm not...” Donnie answered, then jerked his head up in horror hearing a scream coming from the other side of the door.  
  
“April!” Donnie leaped towards the door, reaching for the handle as the voice warned him.  
  
'Beyond there, there is no return, you might be best to lie with the shadows and forget, or are you so willing to give your very soul to your true self? It shall be if you continue and--'  
  
“I don't care! She is part of my life... I... I guess you can say I do love her, since I can't think of a world without her, and I refuse even if I'm not part of that world,” Donnie shuddered not sure where this was coming from but knew it was the truth, “to have my brothers who I love too not to have her in theirs,” Donnie screamed out, clenching the handle, “So yes I would throw everything away for the one, her!”  
  


* * *

  
  
The door creaked open with ease, it wasn't as heavy as he had expected for being solid. On the other side to his dismay, he was met by darkness, nothing more.  
  
He stood there frozen noticing the voice that he heard prior was now gone as if it never existed. It was up for debate whether it was or not in the first place. Was it a figment of his imagination or something feeding on his hope, wishing there was someone to stop him?  
  
Even though he recalled the screams that moments ago from April came from the other side, oddly he found himself unable to move beyond that threshold of this door.  
  
He couldn't explain it, it was as if there was some invisible force preventing him, he couldn't physically feel, yet emotionally it was there holding him back.  
  
Donnie took a breath and focused on the task he must perform.  
  
He found himself swallowing hard with a dry throat, his heart pumping and his first step felt like he was stepping on glass.  
  
His body shivered to retaliate against him, however, he didn't give in, taking another step, then another towards where he wasn't sure, deep into the gloom.  
  
The darkness fearing him all he could describe it, slithered away, fleeing from his presence revealing yet and another odd area, giving him the impression this dimension was part of a mansion of some sort. He wasn't a hundred percent sure that fact was accurate, even so, he just couldn't shake the imagery off.  
  
A hallway now before him it had the same characteristics as the room he had exited from, here too was shattered, broken into pieces of places that he never been.  
  
With caution he started down this showcase of a prime example of a horror house of mirrors, observing them like some window shopper, witnessing distorted reflections of himself time to time, but most were fragments of rooms of the past and maybe future. He contemplated on the theory, could these windows be connected to the location that this thing had trespassed, leaving only this evidence left of people's lives it had destroyed? Then there was another idea that came across, could some be the next target location?  
  
His thoughts turning away from the thousands of questions and ideas given birth by what he was surrounded by, he turned towards the one question he should be asking himself, how long was he going to walk this as it already felt like hours with no end.  
  
No matter how long he walked, how much distance he should have accomplished, the end never came yet the beginning was just as close as before.  
  
 _(I am moving, right? The walls are moving with me yet I’m where I started, how?)_  
  
If it wasn't for his muscles straining and his breath becoming heavy, he would be mistaken himself from standing there while the hallway around him changed, giving the illusion of movement, like the movies.  
  
His footsteps on the worn out rug trail were on mute and there was a dead silence around him cold and even painfully sad.  
His eyes examine his surroundings once more than trail back from where he came. Donnie's heart sank in despair seeing the door was no further away than before, he was not advancing one bit and the other side now he could see something in the far distance not moving any closer.  
  
 _(Shell this isn't working...)_  
  
Was the solution to his predicament was to head back to the door? His heart raced at the thought, as cold sweat trickled down his brow and a spice of iron in his mouth, became alarming, as he stopped, biting his lip that he unconsciously did under this stress.  
  
There was a pain in his chest a warning that if he dared to go back, he would be making a grave mistake worse than the one he had done by entering this hallway.  
  
As the voice told him, returning wasn't an option and If he dared not heed its warnings, what would happen to him if he did try? The feelings wrapping around him, choking him, he gasped for air, knowing the answer, one he would take a fate worse than death, disappearing out of existence and failing what he sought out to do, to save her.  
  
Donnie sighed and turned around taking a big breath, he couldn't afford to drown in self-doubt.  
  
Now the question was how does he get himself out of this endless loop? There must be a way for him to reach the end, what was he doing wrong? What can he do that is different to achieve a different result?  
  
 _(What if my approach of 'cautiously', taking my time is the problem? What if I should run? Maybe at the same time, I shouldn't look back and maybe I shouldn't even pay attention to my surroundings and only focus on the end of the hallway.)_  
  
“Well, here goes nothing, not like I have anything to lose,” he barked, pumping himself up, he rushed forward with his set goal. With every strive he didn't dare to focus on his surroundings, with every breath he refused to remember there's a door behind him and then when he thought he was going to continue running this endless loop until he dropped dead, it was abruptly stopped when he felt something solid smack him in the face.  
  
Donnie let out a yelp in fear holding his beak that was throbbing in pure agony.  
  
 _(What the shell was that?)_  
  
His eyes darted upwards to what had stopped him in his tracks, he gasped at the door that he was trying so hard to reach. He made it, however, no joy came from him as he started to wish he didn't. It was unlike the one before and wasn’t even remotely close to what he expected to find.  
  
Horrified and breathless, his brain tries to comprehend what he was looking at. He was unable to believe his eyes, that this so-called door was made of stone, yes, yet it was twisted

and unnatural, as he could tell was decorated with bodies!  
  
 _(They can't be real can they?)_  
  
The realistic display of woven male bodies parts hanging out of the door, as if they were trying to escape as other parts of them was trapped, fused with the door. These unfortunate souls traumatized were reaching out, faces frozen in distorted terror and begging for mercy. The agony they were in before becoming part of the atmosphere overwhelmed his reality, letting the madness to seep in. He had to grab his sides to prevent himself to be lost, his sanity was on the line and it was on the verge of shattering.  
  
 _(Get a hold of yourself, this is not your fate… you can’t help them, they are lost.)_  
  
He stared at it, how was he to open this door? Did he really have to touch it? What’s to say that is exactly what the ones before him done that brought upon their timely demise? The worse part of his current dilemma was that he couldn’t make out any doorknob or any other way to open it. Unless it was just as simple as pushing it, even then it still meant he would have to go close to it.  
  
 _(What do I do? These guys could be placed here by something or they were merged into the door when they touched it? I need to get past this, but how?)_  
  
He hesitated with one shaky hand that reached out for the door, suddenly Donnie yelped in fright when an arm lunged out at him, clasping around his wrist tightly. Like a wave all the limbs of the fallen came to life reaching, clawing the air, trying to reach him, as the victim's faces moved unnaturally as they gurgled broken words, cries for help or were it worse, they were calling his name!  
  
“Let go of me!” Donnie screamed, trying to pull away, having the hand pulling him inwards instead.   
  
“Join us… be like us… feel our pain… our loss…. Our damnation,” the things cried in a chorus of horror. They wanted him, they hungered for him and before he knew it, one had a hold of his leg advancing his plunged towards the door.  
  
“Join ussss.”  
  
“No! Shell no!” Donnie struggled against the two limbs as another took a hold of him, feeling the teeth digging in his wrist as the glutton mouth had his fist fully engulfed.  
  
He screamed, feeling the things mouth moving up his arm crunching down every inch it advanced.  
  
 _(This is not happening, this is not happening!)_  
  
More arms came for him, wrapping around his legs, his arms, his torso pulling him into them.  
  
 _(NO! I’m not going to be some decoration for that thing's sick taste!)  
_  
Suddenly something inside shattered overwhelming him, the feeling he felt before, yet couldn't figure out when and before he knew it he was able to take a few steps back, away from the door with nothing trying to stop him. It was like he snapped out of his fever nightmare, coming aware it was all in his head. The door was back to normal and he had no markings of the incident, he would at least have the teeth marks he figured.  
  
 _(What just happened? Did something even happen?)_  
  
In a state of confusion, he stood there, not sure what he should do, unsure if his hallucination was some warning or a play of his imagination of the worst that could happen to him.  
  
Lost in that thought something changed, the atmosphere became thick as he wondered if this was another trick of the mind, yet what he heard behind him was too alarming to ignore.  
  
Donnie turned around quickly fearfully anticipating to see someone awaiting for him. There was no one there only an empty hall that he had escaped. It was long and narrower than he recalled and the entrance that brought him to this room appeared like it was miles away from where he stood.   
  
 _(I guess that makes kind of sense, sort of…)_  
  
He shuddered to feel the heaviness down on his shell, the calm before the storm. Was the door prophecy coming to pass?   
  
Hesitantly, he dared to look over his shoulder seeing no change, the hall before him was another matter. In the corner of his eye, he swore new development was taking form. It first started with a light that went off and when he faced that direction leaving his worries over the door to the side, his eyes widen in horror witnessing the thick film of fog rising.   
  
Then there was another light that went out as he just came aware of the ceiling. It had a line of lights all different sizes and shapes, while there were others that were on the walls attached to metallic rods dangling over. How did he not notice this before? He would be frank and embarrassingly admit this whole time he assumed the light source was coming from the mirrors themselves, not actually noticing the decor of the hallway, only the shattered fragments that were occupying it.   
  
His sights wandered towards the mirrors in question next, they were not illuminating any longer, now just charred black surfaces, an absence of imagery or life.   
  
Many have become damaged, shattered as others appeared to be nothing but solid stone. The surfaces were rough and unpolished if one took a glance at them not knowing what they were before would never truly believe they were once mirrors.   
  
The next thing he unsettling noticed was the fact that the lights were slowly dimming, then burst into sparks, after the one light fixture just faded out of existence.  
  
The gloom slowly crept towards him, one that he had the sensation if it reached him he too will be no more, there was no more due overs and this will be game over permanently.   
  
 _(Shell… What a choice…)_ His eyes darted back to the door over his shoulder then towards the dark mass.  _(Damn if I do, damn if I don’t. The risk to be snuffed out or trapped as a wall trophy…)_  
  
Donnie placed his hand on his face letting out a moan in annoyance, can’t it just be simple and he finds a way out of this nightmare and help his family at the same time?   
  
 _(Well I might as well try my chances with the door, I guess.)_  
  
He didn’t like the idea either way, yet what was he to do? The turtle sucked in his fear as he mentally prepared himself, figuring if the door did give him trouble he would have to fight it and with luck open it enough to escape before the approaching doom behind him caught up to him.  
  
 _(I can do this and there is no other choice.)_  
  
It was now or never he told himself facing the door in his new determination, he wasn’t going to let it claim him and it will open one way or another for him.   
  
He went forward, eyes narrowed ignoring the sounds of nothingness behind him, since that wasn’t his end, and placed a steady firm hand on the door.   
  
The rock surface that felt like flesh pulsed under his fingertips, it was quivering he could tell or was it the heartbeats of the many victims? Either way, he felt it, the fear, the anguish, the cry for him to not go near it?  
  
 _(Is it afraid of me? Why?)  
_  
A crackle not far behind him gave warning his time was growing short, he shouldn't try bothering to comprehend this odd occurrence and take it as a stroke of turtle luck.  
  
 _(Here goes!)_  
  
He began pushing with all his might, resorting to relying on his shoulder to give him more leverage and to focus his body weight on that very spot, while his legs did all the work. His breaths became taxing as he can feel the strain of his muscles, that throb with a burning sensation.  
  
Keeping up this brutal workout Donnie's back started to arched with electrifying pain spreading to his other limbs, hearing it slowly creek open with the faint whispers of begging him to leave it, begging him not to touch it, begging him to not harm it anymore.  
  
He had blocked the voices that made this task harder and sweat beaded down his brow as his teeth grind. In the back of his mind, he silently prayed that this door would open up enough so he can squeeze right through soon before these victims drove him to insanity, that is if the darkness didn’t come down upon him first.   
  
 _(I see light! I’m almost there!)_  
  
With a battle cry, he growled, pushing the door harder as the gap to safety widen more. Another shattered burst from a light bulb that he figured was only a foot from behind.   
  
 _(Shell it's almost here!)_  
  
He took his chance moving forward by squeezing through the still narrow gap while his shell scraping against the door. Behind him, he could oddly hear the darkness coming for him, with its eerie silence of a death worse than death.   
  
 _(Damn shell.)_  
  
He grabbed the other side quickly pulling himself with all his might, feeling something reaching for one of his legs. With a gasping moan he expanded his chest out, then with a pop he fell forwards smacking into the ground tail up, while a large rumble came from behind him.  
  
Still, on the ground, Donnie looked between his legs witnessing the upside down door closing with his relief. However, to his horror he became aware how close he was to be devoured by the darkness, seeing a withered hand from the darkness clawing the air for him and then being forced back by the door, trapping it where he came from.  
  
He shuttered over the idea it was alive or was that her? He let out a sigh, sitting down looking forward to catch his breath and work out where he was now.   
  
 _(I doubt it was her, that would be too easy if it was so.)_  
  
The room was ginormous in comparison to the lair or to any place he ever visited.   
  
There were these large columns all around him reaching skywards towards an endless void. He couldn’t tell if it truly had an ending seeing the hundreds of sections, defined by platforms and that held Leatherhead size mirrors, fragments of places similar to the other rooms. These ones, unlike the others, were lively with people passing by them, gazing into them as if the individual had no knowledge of the open gateway that was in front of them.  
  
 _(These must be reflections of current mirrors within people's homes and public places.)_ He tilted his head up as he placed his hand over his eyes.  _(Is there no true ending to this horror?) He moaned heavily. (I see there is not, as long as there are mirrors, the possibilities are endless, as there_ _are potential victims around the next corner for her to go hunting upon…)_

  
“What if the mirror at April's is just one of the many doorways to her exposal, even if I destroyed it that wouldn't stop her, she will have found another…”  
  
Feeling the dread clenching his chest he hissed, it was like his heart was ready to explode. To calm this anxiety attack, he took a deep breath.   
  
 _(Calm down Donnie, don’t lose hope yet…)_  
  
Each breath, straining his lungs his eyes closed as he hunched over. Was this fruitless? Was he kidding himself? How do you stop something that can just find another way out?  
  
 _(There has to be some weakness, something that will end this!)_  
  
He shot his eyes open seeing the first time the red carpet under his feet, his eyes followed it to the centre of the room that held a dome, that was pitch black inside.   
  
 _(What is that?)_  
  
Donnie took a few cautious steps towards it, coming to the first pillar with a staircase reaching to the floor above him.  
  
“Well now... I’m impressed,” a familiar voice called above around the tenth floor, that had a shadowy figure looking down at him in amusement.  
  
“You!” Donnie growled at the witch.  
  
“Surprise? This is my home, after all, however, I have to admit I'm very intrigued on how you were able to enter,” the fake April held her sides licking her lips. “Come to me little turtle,” her hand extended into an invitation, “if the void will not eat you I will take a bite instead.”  
  
He glared at her in disgust, “I won’t let you have that chance, and when I get to you, I will stop you.”  
  
A thunderous crackle came out of the woman, as she sighed very interested in his so-called threat, “Oh are you now? You're nothing then some pathetic, tiny, insignificant mortal, you are no threat to me.”  
  
“We will see about that!” Donnie turned towards the stairs feeling his blood boiling. Time for games was over, no more trying to plan it out, no more thinking of ways to take her down, he needed to charge her head first with no hesitation.  
  
Donnie rushed up the cement stairs, ignoring the flashing imagery around him and the laughter from that thing. The higher he got the more he felt this wind, circling around him that was dry and burning his lungs. It was like a desert on the hottest day, being directly under its sun.   
  
With his last step, he was on the tenth floor, noticing she hadn't moved, standing there patiently for him. Where he was, the monster wasn't far from him leaning against a pillar. She paid him no attention, looked over her shoulder towards the bottom. Her green eyes after a moment of stillness came creepily back towards his own, slowly, eyeing him up as her next meal.  
  
 _(What is it that she needs from me? Is that the end of her so-called ritual here? She steals the women’s form, then what does she take from the men? She did mention the void, what void? Is she talking about the thing that tried to attack me in the hallway before the door?)  
_  
“Now what is your great move that will bring little old me, from stopping me from eating you whole?” she purred feeling her sides, “I do want to get this over with and get back to my new life,” she pointed to an object behind her as Donnie's eyes widened in horror. It was the way back to April's apartment and he could see all the mannequins waiting for their master, including… April.  
  
Donnie swallowed the lump in his throat seeing his poor friend nothing but a puppet for this devil.   
  
The woman suddenly crackled over his heartbreak, that could shatter the mirrors around them, yet none of them were affected, his eardrums on the other hand, were are another matter. He held the side of his head trying to block out the shrieking of her laugh, the disturbing amusement from her on of how much her voice could affect him so.   
  
“I'm done playing games! This ends now no more tricks” he told her, “I want my friend back no matter the cost!” Donnie roared dashing towards her in great speed, she didn’t move instead provoke him.  
  
“Silly little turtle, you I have to admit have been most entertaining of all my meals so far, but like you said the games need to end!” she said firmly as her eyes held a slight glowing of hellish red. Donnie didn't let her intimidate him leaping in the air and coming down on her with a kick. He suddenly gasps in disbelief when her hand extended out grabbing his foot. Before he could counter it she slammed him down into the ground with one sharp swoop.  
  
“AHH!” Donnie screamed as his plastron hit the ground with so much force he lost his breath, and his body wouldn’t move.   
  
 _(This can’t end like this!)_  The turtle desperately tried to get back on his feet seeing the slender legs of his friend walking towards him.   
  
 _(I have to fight, she is not April.)_  He pushed himself up and then came back down once again as the demon’s foot battered down onto his shell.  
  
“Oh please don’t resist anymore,” she said annoyed, “Give in and accept this and let me eat your soul!”  
  
(Soul? Is that what she needs is my soul? Why? What for?)  
  
Donnie took a breath, letting his anger rise, knowing the adrenaline may have some benefits against this fight, “I will not let you claim me!”  
  
He pushed back quickly, then slide forward before her foot came back down onto him. Free, he flipped to his feet just as her foot hit the ground, he turned around bull rushing her, taking her by surprise. Soon after he had her pinned against the pillar.  
  
 _(Gotcha!)_  He smirked at her then it faded quickly.   
  
The witch laughed, humming to herself, “You're stronger than I could of imagine.” She then tilted her head at him with curiosity painted on her face. Her one hand came up slowly towards his cheek and he grabbed it quickly with his free hand.  
  
“Don’t you dare,” he warned, “Now tell me how to reverse what you've done to April!”  
  
The fake didn’t answer only staring into his eyes. She was reading him, studying him like she saw him for the first time, other than something to play with. Donnie hissed at her, sick of her games and this one she was now playing.  
  
“Tell me!” he demanded thrusting that hand he held into the pillar seeing it starting to bruise already from his action.  
  
“She is that important to you after all?”  
  
“She is my damn sister! Of course, she is fucken important,” Donnie burst out.  
  
The woman blinked at him, then smiled wildly, “Oh I see now… why I want you so much,” she purred in a new rise of excitement. She acted like some child discovering something for the first time, overjoyed and unable to contain themselves. “It’s not fully about the redhead after all… I thought it was your love, you two, but now,” she hysterically babbled, “it’s you… you're so… oh...”  
  
“Shut up and tell me already, how to save her!”  
  
She took a breath to calm herself and eased up her body before staring into his brown orbs, “I will break the curse on her only, and only this time I will show such mercy for you,” she started as Donnie’s heart started to feel lighter, “Besides,” Donnie suddenly felt a cold horrifying aura surrounding him oozing from her, “she is nothing to compare to you, how did I not see this before!”  
  
“What--” Donnie tried to question, however in his horror he was interrupted by that things lips against his. He tried to pull her off, finding his once advantage lost.  
  
 _(I… got to stop…)  
_  
Her arms wrapped around his waist and before he knew it, she pulled them both over the edge of the platform.   
  
 _(What the shell, is she going to kill us both!)  
_  
Donnie’s lips still locked onto hers, not because he wanted it to be, he could feel his body falling towards the dome he noticed before. Now he saw what it was, it was a large mirror and inside was something he saw in the other rooms, the darkness surrounded by fragments of mirrors.  
  
 _(Oh shell how could I be so stupid to think I had her where I wanted her to be? I fell for her trap! She wanted me to get close to her so she can devour me after all!)_  
  
His body smashing into the thin layer of glass he plunged into the abyss, his heart raced and his silent cries were engulfed by darkness.  
  
 _(April… I’m sorry…)_

* * *

TBC...

 


	9. Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...
> 
> Disclaimer: TMNT isn’t mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.  
> Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...  
> Rate: T  
> (TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)

**  
** ****

* * *

**Warning: Disturbing Content, Violence and Horror...  
Rate: T  
  
Summary: ** Donnie and April have been friends for years. Never once in those years has he ever considered her more than a best friend. That was until one day that question somehow formed in his head. When it did... That's when things start going horribly wrong...  
<hr>

“Are you sure dude that he's okay, I haven’t seen any change in him for the past four months,” Mikey whimpered tilting his head over the couch, looking towards his other brother who's just sat there quietly on the ground lost in thought.   
  
Since that night, where he and April were found with Donnie collapse on the floor of the Second Time Around, he wasn't sure what actually happened. There were fragments of what went down he could recall, yet they were scattered and nothing he could remember could explain that night.   
  
Sadly, even April had no idea, only able to say it was a nightmare by the dreadful feeling over her head, other then that nothing more.  
  
Something for sure did go down by the odd display of a broken mirror before Donnie and then there was his behaviour after the ordeal. The disturbing part of it all then the event lost, was the fact April didn’t recognize the mirror and had no record of her buying or had it in her storage.   
  
During the event Mikey's last memories were April leaving because she was mad at Donnie, then found himself on the floor near the door entrance at the back of the store, as Donnie was before the mirror and April was not far from him. When April woke up which was a second after him, they exchange looks then noticed Donnie, who seemed to be experiencing some nightmare, it took a while for them to finally snap him out of it, however, when he did Mikey saw it right away. At first, he wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, yet when he looked into his brother’s eyes he was overwhelmed with the feeling like something was missing.   
  
When Mikey’s other brothers came to the scene they at first assumed Donnie was just suffering from some type of trauma. Leo even pointed out that he was acting odd beforehand and who knows what caused this.   
  
They gave Donnie time, trying to support him and April went as far to research into treatments for Donnie to help him out. Donatello had his good days and bad, he was quiet, unemotional, sometimes didn’t eat until told to and wandering around for no reason waiting. He was very unattached to everything around him, including towards his brothers. No one knew what to do for him, he wouldn’t enter his lab unless accompanied, then just stood there waiting, for what no one was able to figure out. At times he would be found sitting in the living room staring at a blank TV.   
  
Everyone was coming to the conclusion that maybe Donnie must have some sort of mental issues, though that one night was still in question and no answers ever came out of it. However, everyone wasn't blind to the odd behaviour display by the brother, that led to that night. Leo and Raph both sadly admitted maybe they were signs of Donnie’s mind deteriorating and neither saw it coming. First Donnie becoming ill, then the absent mindedness, the way he would act jumpy and even keep to himself, more than the norm.  
  
Even so, Mikey felt there was more to it, Donnie was missing something, something important yet after searching his brother’s lab he came out short. The odd part of his search was that all the tape recordings for the past weeks of the lairs activities were erased by the authorization of Donnie.   
  
Maybe his brothers were right and there were warning signs that his brother was developing mental issues or they were finally taking a hold of him. It was not like Donnie said anything and truth, most cases people suffering mental illness tend to suffer in silence, not telling anyone, displaying signs or hiding such signs, that they can’t be noticed or diagnosed.   
  
Then again, there was the other disturbing possibility on what happened, it wasn’t out of the ordinary that a very healthy individual suddenly snaps and is broken, normally an event causes it, that night could have been that such event. Mikey had heard horror stories about it when people just losing it out of the blue, sometimes disappearing after, or become delusional and paranoid, schizophrenia and other mental disorders.  
  
“Mikey, he is fine, he isn’t hurting himself,” Leo sighed, placing his beak into his book, the only way to ignore the staring. It disturbed the elder brother being glared with those dead eyes that his brother in purple was doing. Sure, he could tell him to stop it, yet he hated resorting to such actions since Donnie would listen to a degree by turning his head away and nothing more. It creaped him out, and on the other hand it also made him feel guilty too.   
  
“But Leo there has to be more we can do for him,” Mikey turned around slumping on the couch.  
  
“I don’t know--” Leo started, then heard the lair’s elevator opening.  
  
“Hi, guys,” April’s voice came once the doors open.  
  
“April!” both Mikey and Leo cheered up, then Leo’s face slump seeing the jet black hair male beside her.  
  
“Casey, Raph isn’t here,” Leo said coldly.   
  
It wasn’t that Leo disliked Casey, it was the human at times could be annoying to him and with the stress of his brother’s condition it didn’t help much. Many times Leo cursed under his breath for Raph daring to reveal the lair to the human two months back, yet he knew why Raphael did. It was Casey that was helping Raph cope with this.   
  
Casey was a breath of fresh air for Raph, though their first encounter wasn’t the best of terms, yet the guy earned Raph’s respect and trust and in turn even Leo’s.  
  
“Yo Leo, no prob, I came with Ape’s here,” Casey greeted, as he did Donnie moved suddenly snapping his head towards Casey and made a death stare at the human. This wasn’t out of the ordinary, this happened all the time. Donnie would sometimes follow Casey yet never got close to him, it was the only form of acknowledgement his brother displayed to anyone. Sure, Leo was happy he was showing some sign of recognition and reaction towards someone, yet at times Leo found it more negative than positive. One reason Casey was asked not to come around so much, feeling it wasn’t very healthy for Donnie.  
  
“I asked him to come with me,” April explained, “We are going out to the movies later and thought it was easier to leave here together to do so.”  
  
“A date,” Leo raised an eyebrow.  
  
April’s face turned red on the word as she twiddled her fingers, “Maybe.”  
  
“But first I need to go through with Donnie his exercises,” April said quickly, “I think he is making some progress.”  
  
Leo nodded towards her yet had his eyes on Donnie, “That would be a good thing, please let me know his results this time around compared to last time April.” April now the one that nodded turned towards Donnie, “Should we start Donnie, how about in the lab?”   
  
“April can we talk first?” Mikey interrupted, pointing to the kitchen seeing Leo looking at him in curiosity.   
  
“Sure Mikey,” April sighed.  
  
“How about I bring Donnie to the lab in the meantime?” Casey volunteered as everyone looked at him baffled.  
  
“Umm Casey…” Leo started, biting his lip.  
  
“Wait,” Casey put his hands out in defence, “I get it, I know your brother is sick, but how else is he going to trust me if I don’t try to interact with him?”  
  
“He has a point,” Mikey agreed with Casey. The younger brother too had taken a liking to Casey as well.  
  
“Fine, if he fights and refuses Casey, please don’t force him okay,” Leo informed the human, though the chances of that were nill since Donnie never really respond to anything. Leo would follow his brother and Casey to the lab, however, he was more concerned about what Mikey had to talk about with April.  
  
“Well, you heard them, Donatello,” Casey eased up, standing there cool and collective, “You and I are going to walk to the lab, enter and wait for April.”  
  
Donnie still had his eyes on Casey, suddenly complied, turning around and walked towards the lab, while the eyes of the other family members gawked at how Donnie was actually fully responding.  
  
Casey ignored it following the turtle into the lab and closing the door behind him. Donnie continued to walk and stood at the desk when he stopped, he snapped his head towards Casey with his deadlock stare once again. Casey crossed his arms in annoyance, “You will stop that!” he demanded Donnie.  
  
The turtle confused looked around, unsure what to do, quivering, that only made Casey narrow his eyes in disgust. He flashed a look at the door behind him feeling confident that April will be a bit longer and then back towards the reptile.   
  
Casey then walked up to Donnie, grabbing him ruthlessly by the throat, smashing him into the desk. Donnie didn’t resist, not even attempted to move his arms, breathing heavily eyeing Casey.  
  
“You will listen to me, you know who I am, I can tell. As I know what you are now!” Casey growled, “I should kill you right now, seeing you makes me sick… yet,” Casey turned towards the door, then back to Donnie, “I want to claim her more, than the satisfaction of deleting you out of existence right now.”   
  
Casey let go of Donnie taking a step back, “Here are your orders for now on, you will please April and start to act like the old Donatello to a degree. If I say you are pushing it and tone it down you will obey. After today, you will start communicating with everyone, slowly at first, a word here and there to express how you feel, such as hungry, sad, not wanting to be alone. Eventually, after a month you will start talking to them in short sentences, struggling of course. If you're not sure how to act like the old Donatello,” Casey pointed to the surveillance desk, “You will study in secrecy the old Donatello in the videos and make them think you’re recovering. By no means do you mention who I am, nor act afraid of me, or that we had this conversation, you got me?”  
  
Donnie nodded slowly, as Casey narrowed his eyes, “Good, now you will wait until April comes in here and has her session with you. You will start showing progress, not too much of course. I want her to be happy at the end of your course with her. If she is distracted and upset on my date with her, because you fucked up I will kill you and devour the rest of your soul, what is left of it! I will find another way to win her, even with you out of the picture! Do you understand me!”  
  
“Yes…” Donnie was able to muster.  
  
“Very good,” Casey smirked in amusement, then washed it away when April entered the room.  
  
“Is everything okay in here?” April asked.  
  
“Of course babe,” Casey smiled brightly, “Me and Donnie-boy here, well I was just talking to him on how I hope he gets better and how much you worry about him, for he is your brother.”  
  
April came up to him, giving Casey a kiss on the cheek, “That was sweet of you Casey, I know he understood what you were telling him, he just needs time to heal.”  
  
“Don’t worry April I think you're right, he heard what I told him, and who knows, maybe that will help him, you will see.”  
  
Casey smiled again placing a hand on April’s shoulder massaging it, “There will be changes in him soon with your help, of course, exactly what you wish to be.” Then under his breath that she could not hear, he muttered, “I will have his soul later, until then, I will give you everything just to have you.”  
  
**_FIN_**  
  


* * *

  
  
**_Epilogue_**  
  
_~(Four Months ago)~_  
  
“Where… where the shell am I?” Donnie asked fearfully. He was standing upright and not falling anymore. He spun around as his heart was thumping in the confusion that clouded his mind.   
  
Was he still in the mirror?   
  
There was a darkness surrounding him, he could see something shimmering in the distance, beckoning him to come towards it.

  
_(Where is she?)_  
  
Donnie suddenly was hit by the memory of how she plunged them both over the edge. With a panic he scanned his surroundings, however, he found himself alone. If it wasn’t for the tingling warmth on his lips, he would have thought the death plunge was a trick and never happened.   
  
“Where are you witch!” Donnie barked, receiving silence. There wasn’t the sensation of being watched or life around him, so was she gone?   
  
_(Or is this the process she does to devour one's soul?)_  
  
Shuddering over the thought, Donnie took a deep breath, eyes on that sparkling object. Was it a trap like (find fish) baiting me to my doom?   
  
He wrapped his arms around him for warmth and comfort, he wished his brothers were with him and he didn’t have to do this alone. Then again if this was the sacrifice he had to endure to save April, he did not wish it upon his brothers as well.  
  
_(I best to get this over with, this was the path I have chosen.)_  
  
Donnie took a step forward, unable to hear his footsteps, not even when he purposely step with a heavy foot. To be truthful, there were no sounds, his breath made no noise.  
  
The closer he came to the light the more he felt uneasy. Part of him didn’t want to venture further, fearing what he will find. If there was ever a moment in his life that he would admit this, this was the first time he felt truly lost and alone. It was like there was no one that cared about him and forgotten he had existed, that statement wouldn’t fully explain how he felt before coming to the object that projected that light.  
  
He came up to the object looking down. On the ground was a small shard of glass, the size of his palm. He stared at it in hesitation, before extending out his unsteady hand towards it to pick it up. What was he going to see? Did he want to see where this one linked to? Was he going to see April still an obedient doll, or worse?  
  
His eyes widen as he feared, it wasn’t just some random rooms but his home. The spot was created by a shiny surface at the lair, must have been a reflection on one of the objects that were part of his television set up in the living room. What he saw, threw him into a rage as his heart stopped, he could feel his fists clenching tightly turning white in the knuckle.   
  
“It hurts, doesn’t it,” the devilish woman’s voice could be heard behind him, yet he didn’t bother turning around to confront her, eyes glued to the shard.  
  
“How is this possible!” Donnie was unable to control his anger, feeling overwhelmed by jealousy and envy.  
  
“Oh, simple, like I said your special,” she purred coming up to him and placing her hand on his shoulder.   
  
Donnie snarled slapping her hand away and turning around to see that crooked smile of hers.  
  
_(She did this!)_  
  
“So what did you do! What is this… this thing!” Donatello demanded, then noticed she wasn’t portraying April anymore. Now he saw what she truly looked like.   
  
She had deep blonde long hair, with fair skin, a beauty that was just a cover up to the ugly husk hidden under that skin. Her flowing black dress matched her eyes that were dark and cold, which held no true emotions, yet by gazing into them you were filled with the raw emotions of anger, jealousy, rage, envy, and now new found joy over him?   
  
“The outcome of being what you are now,” she admitted with sympathy, an odd display that he never considered she was capable of.  
  
“What are you talking about?” Donnie shook his head.  
  
She came closer, pointing to his arm. He followed her fingertips to the spot, feeling a sharp dagger of cold striking his heart. The symbol, the curse symbol he has seen throughout this nightmare, it was on his arm, fully formed and glowing with a dark energy.   
  
“What.. how…”   
  
“It's how we are branded,” she told him as he flashed a look at her.  
  
“Take it off!” he ordered her then looked at the mirror again that only soured his mood more.  
  
“I can’t since I didn’t put it on you, the Mirror's curse did so,” she shrugged, looking around the empty space, “I hope you make this place interesting, it's a bit boring to be stuck in until we can find our next meal.”  
  
“What!” Donnie staggered back, “What do you mean next meal! Stuck, Mirror curse?”  
  
The woman sighed tilting her head at him, “I guess you wouldn’t know the truth would you?”  
She placed her finger on her ruby lips, “How do you perceive me, Donatello?”  
  
“A monster, a demon--” he didn’t hesitate to spit out the insults. She was going to eat his soul and turn his best friend into a doll after all.  
  
“Once innocent,” she interrupted.  
  
_(Seriously?)_  
  
Out of nowhere, Donnie burst into laughter, not believing she would dare to call her such a thing. There was no way.  
  
She rolled her eyes coming to him, placing her hand on his cheek, for some reason he didn't push her away, yet yearned to be touch as to be reminded that he wasn’t alone. The loneliness was so potent, especially after what he saw in the shared, he wanted a living being near him, even if his body was tensed over the fact it was her.  
  
“I was innocent once, someone that didn’t ask or deserved this fate either,” she started to explain.   
  
“Please,” Donnie scuffed on the stereotypical response.  
  
She ignored him continuing on, “Long ago, centuries before you were even was born, I was married to one of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world. In those times at least I was given everything and anything I wanted, treated like a queen to a point, with no true freedom. However, unfortunately for me, I wasn't one of those women that that plainly did what she was told and was satisfied with mere material objects.”  
  
Donnie tension started to ease, as he wondered if he really wanted to know her origins. There was something about it so far that he knew he would regret keeping his mouth shut and allowing her to continue.  
  
She took a breath as if this was the first time she had told anyone about this horrific tale, “I had a mind of my own, I had a creative side and I wasn't afraid to show it. This was something that could and should not be. My so-called husband was like other pigs he hated my free spirit, he despised me for it. He lectured me on the proper etiquette of a wife. She should be obedient, a wife should be doing what the man of the house tells her to do, not to gallivant with fantasy stories. A woman had no place in the world of men.” she clenched her fists.   
  
“This was something he demanded out of me and I hated it, so I showed my intelligence, I proved everyone around me that I wasn’t some dumb bitch, having more intellect than those smoking dogs. He was embarrassed and he was furious over how his wife was acting.”  
  
“After my display and refusal to act like some obedient servant, he lost it. He started to drink to make an excuse for his actions, threatening me to dispose of me and resorting to beating me to put me in my place.”  
  
Donnie looked at her in horror, seeing the pain she went through, yet it didn’t explain why she was what she was now.  
  
She smirked proudly of herself suddenly, “I stood up to him once again, no matter how hard he hit me. I refuse to be some dumb housewife, I didn't want him to contain me even if he disowned me and threw me into the streets. In the end, seeing his true colors I didn't care anymore, I actually wanted to leave him and I even plan to do so…” Her face twisted in sadness.  
  
“When he caught wind about my grand plan, regardless it wouldn’t cost him nothing, for I didn’t want his money, that was the last straw for him regardless of my antics. No chains could keep me, no guards can contain me, no bars could ever let me stay where I didn't want to be. He knew that and when it was apparent he couldn't break me, he cannot train me, he resorted to other means. Black magic.”   
  
Donnie looked at her, feeling his heart pounding with a cold uneasy tingling sensation going down his spine, he had a feeling where this was going. He didn't like it one bit, yes, he was a man of science, but everything he's seen what he was experiencing now that word was like a dagger in his heart.  
  
“He found himself a witch, a crooked woman, blinded by her own greed or maybe she didn't like him, I'm not even sure. The dark witch offered him a mirror and told him that let me gaze upon it and then wish of me never to be, who I am. Call upon the cursed mirror to drain me of all emotions to make me the perfect slave for him, the perfect wife.”  
  
“Shell…” Donnie gulped.  
  
“Indeed,” she nodded rubbing her thumb on his cheek. Was she seeking comfort by this action?  
  
“So one night he came to my chambers with the mirror setting it on my bedside table. I question him over the eerie object, feeling uneasy to go near it. His response to me was that this was the only way. Before I could do anything he forced my face into it. At that very moment, I knew this was no ordinary mirror, every fibre of my being screamed in my head, that burned in agony. A buzzing like no other, as if he cracked my head open and stuffed hundreds of bees in it.”  
  
_(Buzzing… what I was experiencing when facing the mirror?)_  
  
“Is that normal for your victims to suffer from the same thing? The buzzing that is so loud your head wants to explode?” Donnie interrupted her story wanting to know.  
  
She shook her head, “No, no other man had that experience, fear of the mirror yes, maybe warning probably, but never the pain,” The woman explained to him, “I see… that was the first sign and I didn't see it.  
  
“Huh?” Donnie tilted his head at her as she pushed her finger on his lips to silence him.  
  
“Let me finish, then you can ask me,” she told him, as he caved in knowing he should.  
  
“Now then, I don't know what happened entirely, I remember screaming, I remember the pain and then the last thing I remember was this room, this same darkness. Though if you’re wondering, I didn’t find myself in this exact room, but the one with the pillars before I shape it as you saw it. It was dark and lonely like this room of yours.”  
  
_(This… is my room? The other was hers?)_  
  
“I found a piece of a shattered glass as you had done so, and when I dared to look into it as you have in my horror a double of myself was visible in the image, a perfect wife he was always looking for.”  
  
Donnie shot a look at her then back to the shard, gawking at a perfect version of himself sitting on the sofa, unemotional as his family was nearby figuring out what is wrong with him. The double looked at each of his brothers and even April, who was human again, as if trying to figure them out, or was it he was waiting for orders?  
  
_(So he is a fake to replace me… like a fake was created when she was first cursed… but this still doesn't explain why me and why she is collecting women and taking the souls of men.)_  
  
Questions filling his head, he calmed them as he had to let her finish before he could get to the bottom of this.

The woman filled with rage eyes turned red, “She lived my damn life, as I was trapped here rotting away, yet I wasn't dying when her body did. I was left in the darkness, alone watching this disgusting play, through all the mirrors surrounding her, watching this sickening display of a perfect family, the perfect wife, the perfect husband. They had everything, as I lost everything. I wanted it back, my life, without him of course. I wanted to smell flowers, feel the sun on my skin, feel the breeze through my hair, but that was theirs and I could only watch!” she screamed.  
  
“I wanted what should have been mine!” she growled, taking her hands away from Donnie.  
  
“So what, you now take other women's appearances in order to torment other men for some satisfaction to get your husband back?” Donnie narrowed his eyes at her.  
  
“At first no, and it’s not that simple turtle,” she turned around crossing her arms, looking around again,”That was the price I paid for my revenge.”  
  
“What?”  
  
She turned towards him coming up to him, looking up into his brown eyes, “You see I wanted no more to get back what I lost, to make him suffer as he made me suffer. However, I couldn’t just go back to my body.”  
  
Donnie’s blood turned cold, “You couldn't go back to your body… That means the fake is my body without me inside?!”  
  
She nodded, “Yes with at least five percent of your soul in it so it doesn't kill over, enough to be molded into what it’s master wishes. Though in your case I guess there is no master, that is why it looks lost and clueless, waiting for someone to tell it what to do.”  
  
“There has to be a way to return… I’m… a soul?” Donnie said soaking in that bit of information.   
  
If his body was there and he was stuck in this mirror dimension, he was just a soul?  
  
“More than that,” she smirked, having her hand trail towards his arm that had the symbol, “Much more.”  
  
“The symbol…”   
  
“Is made you what you are. It is also used to make your victims” she smiled amused, “Just like me.” she turned around showing her marking on her shoulder.  
  
“NO!” Donnie pulled away in horror. “I’m not you, or will be like you, I will find a way back to my body. I will--”   
  
She placed her finger once again on his lips, “You will, for I can see it in your eyes, you want to kill him, destroy that body of yours for you can’t have it. I was the same, and I did so by taking another woman’s image to be able to enter that world. When I did the woman I took the image from turn into a doll as I became solid to do what I wish in the reality. I was able not only kill my old self and claim the missing piece of soul, but to make my husband suffer in ways you would never believe.”  
  
Donnie felt speechless trying to find the words as they had problems coming out, “Okay, so what, after doing that once you couldn't stop yourself?”  
  
“In a way,” she admitted, “But I think the real reason is that I get hungry and I want to be free. You have seen my room, you think I placed all those mirrors there? No, they formed after the first time I got out free. Humor me for a second and imagine this, seeing everyone living their lives as you are stuck watching them through a layer of glass, wouldn't that make you wish you were in their place?”  
  
“I see…” Donnie faintly understood since how he was acting over this shard in his hand, but to see so many people living their lives as you are stuck in this place, would drive anyone mad. “Yet I don’t get it, why the souls of the men?”  
  
“To make it permanent than just a few days, at least for ten years” she smiled, “The first male was my husband, who would've thought, having now the perfect wife, he still cheated with the maid.”  
  
Donnie’s eyes widen as he pieced the pieces together seeing the full picture of what he was missing before, “That is why you go after couples or people that have a close relationship.”  
  
“Yes for it was my first, that became my curse, that was the price I paid to get the last piece of my soul back.”  
  
“I… see…now,” Donnie looked down, biting his lip, “I see how you got stuck like this, however why me? Why am I here if you're not the cause?  
  
She shrugged, “I believe the mirror saw something in you that it like or desired, the raw emotions.”  
  
(Mirror... the warning before, the voice that told me to choose, was that the mirror all this time?)  
  
Donnie shivered on the notion, that it was the mirror that was playing games with him before he entered her room. His eyes wandered, flashing at the shard as he thought on the other thing she stated the raw emotions. He recalled that such feeling, the past, the monster within him. Was the mirror attracted to it? Is that why, unlike all other men before him he was the first that wasn't devoured instead assimilated into the curse? There had to be a way to break it right?  
  
_(I can't stay like this, I have to find a way, I just have to.)_  
  
Suddenly consumed by his thoughts, he snapped out of them when he felt her hand under his chin, pulling it up to meet hers.  
  
“Don’t threat, once you do the same--”  
  
“I will not become that, like you!” he snarled softly, for some reason hearing her tale, he couldn’t see her in the dark light anymore. Even so, he refused to be the same as her, “If I can’t find a way back to my body I will let it live its life, that must stop this curse and I will beat it!”  
  
“Is that so?” she playfully asked, intrigued by this little game she will watch unfold, “We will see, besides that one mirror that I used to find you isn’t the only one, all mirrors are our playground and one day you will want to extend your hand and grasp for a life that you should have instead, believe me.”\  
  
“Like shell...”  
  


* * *

  
  
**(Two Months Later)**  
  
“Mmmm” the woman, Donnie referred to as Faye, turned around in the large mirror before her admiring the curves and the large breasts of her new body. The pinks skirt twirled around her with her long brown locks swaying with her, as her new hazel eyes would kill any man stared contently in the mirror.  
  
“I like this one, and it was so easy to consume the man’s soul,” she purred licking her lips, “The abyss is almost done with him.” she bent over to the mirror, stroking it as the reflection of a man with jet black hair and a well built body stood behind her.   
  
“Though I like the real me more,” her features started to melt to her old self but much lively than her mirror version. Once she was done she sighed in relief, “If you’re wondering why this could be, after the men are devoured, I can make myself look like my old self, it’s only after the ritual is done correctly,” she turned around with a smirk.   
  
The man stood there with a raised eyebrow at her, and to his left was a male mannequin quivering, as her own dolls were scattered about.  
  
“So are you going to stay that way?” she asked him.  
  
“I have no choice, I think,” the man stated, feeling that was true since the process wasn’t like hers, no soul was devoured since the man had no lover.  
  
Faye smirked, clapping her hands in pure joy, “I see now, you are different Donatello--”  
  
“Casey!” The man insisted.  
  
“Casey… Oh so that is how it works for you,” she beamed.  
  
“What do you mean,” Casey tilted his head, feeling a bit ill that he actually did this and why was he insisting his name was Casey when it was Donatello?  
  
“You don’t consume souls to keep you grounded in this world, instead the life and name of your meal.”  
  
“Huh... that makes sense. Why is it different though?” he asked.  
  
She shrugged, “You had no vendetta with anyone like I had and you only want one thing correct? To kill your body to retrieve your shard of a soul that was left behind.”  
  
Casey looked down at his human hands, how odd it was, yet felt so good to feel the skin, the air around him, regardless the body was foreign to him.  
  
“I…” Casey felt bad once again, then had Faye at his side, rubbing his shoulder to console him.  
  
“It’s okay love, I know how it feels, but this is what you are and you deserve what you lost. Remember, I didn't do this to you the mirror did, I was just trying to eat your soul.”  
  
Casey gave her a sour look, “Wow... thanks... not sure that made me feel any better.”   
  
Faye grinned playfully, she was normal when she wasn’t trying to devour someone’s soul. Even in the mirror world, he didn’t mind her presence at all, she wasn’t that bad of a person all considering, when she wasn't trying to eat him anymore or spice his soul with fear and horror. She acted nice to him, sympathetic and was always there even though his room was still developed in darkness compare to her own.  
  
A sigh came from Casey, “I just stole this man’s life and name, he will never remember it again.”  
  
“A price he paid for falling into your trap,” she smiled and kissed him on the cheek, the warmth made him feel whole, “I must add the way you did it was a work of art.”  
  
“Yeah sure…” he felt embarrassed by the praise, then went to Mr. Gloom again.  
  
Faye sighed, not liking how down he was, she clapped her hands together again dancing around him and stopping when she was in front of him, “I know what will cheer you up, you are killing your body and… win a certain human mortal’s heart in the process?”  
  
Casey flashed his head up, “April?”  
  
“The very one, you are human now. What is there not to love about you. You can woo her.”  
  
“I…” Casey thought on it, feeling the emotions bubbling up. Can he? Can he really pursue her? Was that wrong of him?  
  
“I don’t know if she will like this me,” Casey admitted knowing there was more than just him taking a name and a life, the personality of Casey Jones was melding with his own, making him someone other than himself. He was between Donatello and Casey, a perfect splice. Oddly, it was refreshing to him, then being in that dark cage, he suffered for the past two months that he would admit it felt like hundreds. If it wasn’t for Faye he would have gone mad or worse wanting to end all their lives, his brothers then just his own body, over envying them all. Even so, it was Faye that kept him from turning that twisted.  
  
“She will love you darling, but first you need to also gain your old family's trust, to get into your body of course,” Faye pointed out.  
  
Casey nodded, “Oh, don’t worry about that… babe. I have the perfect brother in mind.” Casey turned away from her then kicked his doll to the side, “Go to my room, I don’t need you right now.” The mannequin quivering obeyed entering the mirror. Heading towards a door he could feel Faye on his heels, curious on what he was going to do next. Casey entered the garage and pulled back a sheet that was draped over something in the middle of the room, revealing a bike, “I think I can gain Raph’s trust with this.”  
  
**_Fin_**


End file.
